Anti-Gun Activist Arrested For Possessing Illegal Weapons, Drug Trafficking
The leader of Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence (BRAG) was one of 15 suspects arrested in connection with a major upstate New York drug trafficking scheme.
Michael Rodriguez, the anti-gun violence group’s executive director, has been arrested for allegedly participating in the drug-running scheme operating in Middletown and Port Jervis, New York — which are roughly 100 miles northwest of the Bronx.
The 48-year-old anti-gun violence activist’s Yonkers home was raided by police last week, where officers allegedly discovered several incriminating items — including 1.5 kilos of cocaine, scales for weighing drugs, $165,000 in cash and $50,000 worth of jewelry. Due to conflicting reports, it is unclear how many firearms were found in his possession — with some reports saying four firearms and others saying only two. The New York Post reports that at least two of those firearms were illegal — a Ruger .380-caliber handgun and a Bond Arms .357-caliber handgun.
Rodriguez was charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance, second-degree conspiracy and first-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
“So, the very guy that we have that is supposed to be stopping gun violence in one jurisdiction in New York City, is poisoning our jurisdiction up here,” Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said during a press conference.
Rodriguez’s organization, BRAG, has been repeatedly mentioned by New York City Mayor Eric Adams as one of the anti-gun violence groups that is designed to help keep the city’s streets safe — with the group even being listed as one of New York City’s 14 community partners in the “Blueprint to End Gun Violence” initiative launched in 2022. While BRAG does partner with the government, it does not receive government funding.
According to Bronx County District Attorney Darcel Clark, Rodriguez regularly attended BRAG events such as peace marches — portraying himself to the public as an ally in the fight against violence, all while allegedly taking part in the very activities that exacerbate these problems.
“These charges are the exact opposite of the good work cure violence groups are doing,” Clark wrote in a statement, noting that Rodriguez’s affiliation with BRAG makes the accusations against him even more “shocking and disturbing.”
A BRAG spokesperson issued a statement in response to Rodriguez’s arrest.
“We are aware of the investigation and the charges that have been made,” read the statement, which was sent via email to the New York Post on Tuesday. “While we work to learn more, our primary focus remains on the communities we serve and our programs that are helping to keep them safe.”
Rodriguez is currently being held without bail in Orange County Jail.
His arrest was prompted by an investigation that began two years ago and involved multiple law enforcement agencies — including the Orange County Drug Task Force, the Community Narcotics Enforcement Team and the Hudson Valley Crime Analysis Center, along with multiple police departments and district attorneys’ offices.
