Broome County Trio Arrested in Large Scale Meth Ring

On October 2, 2026, Jermaine Cooper, age 53, of Apalachin, NY; Sherry Olk, age 40, of Binghamton, NY; and Shamell Tate, age 36 of Endicott, NY, were arraigned on charges of distribution of methamphetamine.

First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig Tremaroli, Broome County District Attorney F. Paul Battisti, Broome County Sheriff Frederick J. Akshar II, New York State Police (NYSP) Bureau of Criminal Investigation Lieutenant Nate McCarthy, and Vestal Police Chief Vince Stavola made the announcement.

The complaint against Cooper and Olk, alleges the two sold over 100 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine in July 2026. A separate complaint against Tate alleges in September 2026, he sold over 200 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.

These charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison, a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant's sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute(s) the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

All defendants are currently detaining pending a trial before a United States District Court.

First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated, "These three drug dealers have been exploiting drug addiction for their financial gain and infiltrating deadly narcotics into our community for far too long. New York's bail reform laws would have allowed these defendants right back on the street after arraignment, and my office will continue to use federal laws to remove drug traffickers from the community and safeguard the Southern Tier. These arrests should serve as a chilly reminder that if you are poisoning our communities with narcotics, we will find you and bring the fullest extent of the federal government to your doorstep."

"These arrests and seizures are a direct result of the continued partnerships and incredible coordination we share at every level of law enforcement throughout Broome County," said Craig Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Albany Field Office. "As alleged, these subjects were making a living off bringing dangerous drugs into our communities, not caring how it was hurting our neighbors. But law enforcement cares, and now they are all facing potential time in federal prison. The FBI remains deeply committed to working with our partner agencies to aggressively investigate drug traffickers and ensure they are sent to prison."

Broome County District Attorney Paul Battisti stated, "This coordinated effort demonstrates the effectiveness of multi-agency collaboration in tackling drug-related crimes. No longer are the days of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies working in silos. As has been demonstrated with Clean Sweep in April and again today with Cold Front, we are One Team, laser focused on the safety and security of our community and will stop at nothing when public safety is at risk."

"Getting dangerous drug dealers off our streets is what the law-abiding residents and families of our community expect and deserve from law enforcement," said Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar. "It takes coordination, cooperation and teamwork at every level to build a safer Broome County and to put the peddlers of poison where they belong, behind bars and unable to create new victims."

NYSP Bureau of Criminal Investigation Lieutenant Nate McCarthy stated, "I would like to thank all of the law enforcement professional that touched this case, including many of our agencies' civilian support staff. Each member contributed to this investigation, leading to its success. These cases demand extensive investigative expertise, coordination, and countless hours of work. The results speak for themselves and are a direct reflection of the commitment and strength of our continued partnerships."

Vestel Police Chief Vince Stavola stated, "This case reinforces that effective interagency partnerships are essential to addressing public safety and protecting the communities we serve. By sharing resources, maintaining open lines of communication, and working toward a common goal, we can collectively achieve better outcomes and improve public safety not only in the Town of Vestal, but throughout our surrounding communities."

The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

FBI, NYSP, Broome County Sheriff's Office and Vestal Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristen Grabowski and Michael Whalen are prosecuting the case.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice's violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.