Tag:

Cocaine

Man Tosses Pills, Bag Of Drugs From Car While Fleeing Officers In Westchester: Police Man Tosses Pills, Bag Of Drugs From Car While Fleeing Officers In Westchester: Police
Man Tosses Pills, Bag Of Drugs From Car While Fleeing Officers In Westchester: Police A 41-year-old man is facing multiple felony drug charges after leading troopers on a brief chase on the Thruway in Westchester County, during which he allegedly threw drugs from his car, authorities said.  The incident began on Tuesday, March 4, at around 9:52 p.m., when troopers pulled over a gray Toyota Corolla on the Thruway in Ardsley for a cell phone violation, New York State Police announced on Thursday, March 6.  According to police, the driver, Queens resident Rafael Balbi, suddenly sped away, prompting a short pursuit that lasted less than a mile. During the chase, Balbi …
Duo Busted While Trying To Sell Fentanyl, Cocaine In Hudson Valley: Sheriff Duo Busted While Trying To Sell Fentanyl, Cocaine In Hudson Valley: Sheriff
Duo Busted While Trying To Sell Fentanyl, Cocaine In Hudson Valley: Sheriff A drug bust in Putnam County led to the arrest of two men, including a New Jersey resident, who allegedly arrived to sell fentanyl and cocaine, authorities announced. The operation took place on Wednesday, March 5, around 2:30 p.m. in Kent, where members of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Enforcement Unit intercepted the suspects when they arrived to sell the drugs, according to Sheriff Kevin J. McConville. The suspects were identified as Orange County resident Jamel Donaldson, 31, of New Windsor, and New Jersey resident Paul Roeser, 27, of Mahwah.  Donaldson, w…
Overdose Concerns Lead To Drug Bust: 5 Arrested In Hudson Valley, Police Say Overdose Concerns Lead To Drug Bust: 5 Arrested In Hudson Valley, Police Say
Overdose Concerns Lead To Drug Bust: 5 Arrested In Hudson Valley, Police Say Authorities apprehended five people in a major drug bust in Dutchess County after overdoses led to investigators linking a residence to fentanyl and cocaine sales, authorities said. The investigation centered around 7 Jones St. in the Town of Poughkeepsie following numerous community complaints and reports of overdoses in the area. Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office Drug Task Force agents soon began making controlled purchases of fentanyl and cocaine at the location, officials announced on Wednesday, March 5.  On Monday, March 3, agents arrested 35-year-old Joseph Nap…
Drug Dealer Busted, Caught With Meth, Cocaine In Hudson Valley: Police Drug Dealer Busted, Caught With Meth, Cocaine In Hudson Valley: Police
Drug Dealer Busted, Caught With Meth, Cocaine In Hudson Valley: Police Police have apprehended a 55-year-old man accused of dealing methamphetamine and cocaine after a police raid uncovered drugs packaged for sale inside his Dutchess County residence, authorities announced.  Orlando Peterson III was arrested on Thursday, Feb. 27, following a search conducted by the Dutchess County DA's Office Drug Task Force at his Poughkeepsie residence on Garden Street, the Task Force announced on Monday, March 3.   Officials said undercover agents had been purchasing drugs from Peterson before executing the search warrant at his home with the assistance of th…
Gun, Drug Bust: Suspect Tries Climbing Out Window To Flee In Westchester, Police Say Gun, Drug Bust: Suspect Tries Climbing Out Window To Flee In Westchester, Police Say
Gun, Drug Bust: Suspect Tries Climbing Out Window To Flee In Westchester, Police Say A 29-year-old man who tried to escape police through a first-floor window in Westchester was quickly caught and found with a stolen gun, drugs, and illegal weapons parts, authorities said. The suspect’s failed escape attempt happened around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26, when Westchester County Police Narcotics Unit detectives and Mount Vernon Police officers arrived at his Pearsall Drive residence to execute a search warrant, Westchester County Police announced on Saturday, March 1. According to police, as officers knocked on the door, the suspect climbed out a window—only to be immedi…
Duo Uses 3D Printer To Make 'Ghost Guns' In Goldens Bridge, Police Say Duo Uses 3D Printer To Make 'Ghost Guns' In Goldens Bridge, Police Say
Duo Uses 3D Printer To Make 'Ghost Guns' In Goldens Bridge, Police Say Two Northern Westchester residents are facing serious charges after authorities discovered an illegal weapons manufacturing operation involving 3D-printed firearms, police announced. Nicholas Pinnetti, 46, and Brooke Ahern, 42, both of Hillside Avenue in Goldens Bridge, were arrested earlier this week following an investigation by the Westchester County Police Narcotics Unit with assistance from the Lewisboro Police Department, the county announced on Thursday, Feb. 6. A search warrant executed at their home around 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 4, led to the seizure of seven “ghost guns”, a quant…
Man Accused Of Making Violent Threats Against Trump Man Accused Of Making Violent Threats Against Trump
Man Accused Of Making Violent Threats Against Trump A man accused of threatening to kill President Trump has been apprehended following a tip to federal authorities. The investigation began on Inauguration Day on Monday, Jan. 20, after a tip to the FBI National Threat Operations Center reported violent online posts targeting the former president.  Federal agents traced the posts to Shannon Depararro Atkins, age 46, of West Palm Beach, Florida, near Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach. Atkins was arrested just before 7:30 p.m.  Friday, Jan. 24 near his home after being pulled over in a white 2013 BMW 750Li, said Public Informat…
Former Corrections Officer From Westchester Took Bribes To Smuggle Drugs In Prison: Feds Former Corrections Officer From Westchester Took Bribes To Smuggle Drugs In Prison: Feds
Former Corrections Officer From Westchester Took Bribes To Smuggle Drugs In Prison: Feds A Mount Vernon resident and former corrections officer at Rikers Island has pleaded guilty to accepting bribes to smuggle drugs into the jail, federal authorities announced.  Ghislaine Barrientos, age 37, admitted to her role in a scheme to bring narcotics, including cocaine and synthetic cannabinoids, into Rikers Island in exchange for thousands of dollars in bribes, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Wednesday, Jan. 8.  Barrientos, formerly employed by the New York City Department of Correction, conspired with others to smuggle cocaine, s…
3 Pounds Of Cocaine, Heroin, Stolen Loaded Gun Seized In NY State Thruway Traffic Stop: Cops 3 Pounds Of Cocaine, Heroin, Stolen Loaded Gun Seized In NY State Thruway Traffic Stop: Cops
3 Pounds Of Cocaine, Heroin, Stolen Loaded Gun Seized In NY State Thruway Traffic Stop: Cops A Bronx man is behind bars after New York State Troopers say he was caught with a stolen gun and a staggering amount of drugs during a traffic stop on I-87 (the NY State Thruway). The arrest happened on Wednesday, Dec. 18, around 1 p.m., when Troop T Troopers from SP Tarrytown pulled over a 2018 Nissan Rogue for vehicle and traffic law violations in Greenburgh (Westchester), police said. The driver, identified as 27-year-old Maximilian X. Blevins, was in possession of a stolen loaded SCCY Industries 9mm firearm from North Carolina, along with a large quantity of illegal drugs, police said. …
Trio Caught With Gun, Drugs After Threatening Group In Westchester Trio Caught With Gun, Drugs After Threatening Group In Westchester
Trio Caught With Gun, Drugs After Threatening Group In Westchester Three men, including a Fairfield County resident, are facing charges after officers found them with a loaded handgun and drugs after they allegedly threatened a group with a firearm in Westchester, officials said. The incident began on Sunday morning, Nov. 24, when witnesses flagged down Port Chester officers while they were on patrol on North Main Street, according to the department.   Witnesses reported a man menacing a group with a firearm, and as officers approached the area near Abendroth Avenue, they also pointed out a vehicle leaving the scene. Police then pulled it over an…
Search Warrant Yields Cocaine, Fentanyl, Charges For Hudson Valley Suspect Search Warrant Yields Cocaine, Fentanyl, Charges For Hudson Valley Suspect
Search Warrant Yields Cocaine, Fentanyl, Charges For Hudson Valley Suspect A Hudson Valley man is facing drug charges after a months-long investigation into narcotics sales. Richard Fernandez, age 40, was arrested on Wednesday, Nov. 20, following a five-month investigation by the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office Drug Task Force. Investigators executed a court-authorized search warrant at a residence in Pomona, recovering cocaine, fentanyl pills, and other pharmaceutical drugs during the search. Fernandez has been charged with: Criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree; Four counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in t…
6 Accused Of Distributing Cocaine, Fentanyl Out Of Public Housing In Northern Westchester 6 Accused Of Distributing Cocaine, Fentanyl Out Of Public Housing In Northern Westchester
6 Accused Of Distributing Cocaine, Fentanyl Out Of Public Housing In Northern Westchester Six people face federal charges in connection with a drug ring that distributed addictive substances out of residential buildings in Northern Westchester, officials said. The six suspects were arrested and arraigned in federal court on Tuesday, Nov. 12 in connection with a drug conspiracy that operated in Peekskill, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Friday, Nov. 15.  According to the federal indictment, from around April 2024 to the date of their arrests, the six defendants worked to supply and distribute large amounts of cocaine, crack co…
Duo Caught With Heroin, Cocaine, Pills In Hudson Valley After Complaint From Resident Duo Caught With Heroin, Cocaine, Pills In Hudson Valley After Complaint From Resident
Duo Caught With Heroin, Cocaine, Pills In Hudson Valley After Complaint From Resident Two people, including a Fairfield County resident, face charges after they were caught with heroin, cocaine, and prescription medication in the Hudson Valley during a suspected drug deal, police said. The arrests resulted from an incident in Putnam County on Thursday, Oct. 17 just before 10:30 p.m., when a caller told the Putnam County Sheriff's Office that drugs were possibly being sold from a car within the village of Brewster.  Sheriff's deputies responded to the location and found 52-year-old Michael Flynn of Brookfield, Connecticut in possession of heroin and cocaine that he alleg…
Trio Nabbed With Cocaine, Crystal Meth On I-87 In Westchester: Police Trio Nabbed With Cocaine, Crystal Meth On I-87 In Westchester: Police
Trio Nabbed With Cocaine, Crystal Meth On I-87 In Westchester: Police Three men were apprehended after they were caught with hundreds of grams of cocaine and crystal methamphetamine on an interstate in Westchester, police announced. The traffic stop happened on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at around 5:30 p.m., when authorities stopped a Nissan Altima on Interstate 87 in Ardsley after they saw it allegedly violate vehicle and traffic laws, New York State Police said on Friday, Oct. 4.  The three people inside the car, all Bronx residents, were found with around 412 grams of cocaine and 378 grams of crystal methamphetamine, police said. They were identified as:  …
Man Caught Snorting Cocaine In Car In Hudson Valley: Police Man Caught Snorting Cocaine In Car In Hudson Valley: Police
Man Caught Snorting Cocaine In Car In Hudson Valley: Police A 32-year-old Connecticut man was apprehended after authorities caught him snorting cocaine inside a vehicle in the Hudson Valley, police announced.  The arrest was made on Monday, Aug. 26 just before 3 p.m., when a man was seen snorting a white powdered substance while sitting in the driver's seat of a car in the Putnam County town of Southeast, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said on Monday, Sept. 30. According to the Sheriff's Office, the man's vehicle was found to have a Virginia license plate that expired in 2016. A search of his car undertaken by members of the Sheriff's Offic…
32-Year-Old Man Accused Of Selling Cocaine, Prescription Meds In Hudson Valley 32-Year-Old Man Accused Of Selling Cocaine, Prescription Meds In Hudson Valley
32-Year-Old Man Accused Of Selling Cocaine, Prescription Meds In Hudson Valley A 32-year-old man from the region faces a long list of charges for selling cocaine and prescription medication in the Hudson Valley, authorities announced.  Ulster County resident Kevin Lamastro of Highland was arrested on Saturday, Sept. 21 on an outstanding warrant related to his alleged sale of narcotics in Putnam County, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office announced on Tuesday, Sept. 24.  According to the Sheriff's Office, in 2023, an investigator with the Narcotics Enforcement Unit learned that Lamastro was allegedly involved in the sale of cocaine and prescription medica…
NY Men Admit Poisoning Prominent Activist, 'Pose' Star Who Overdosed NY Men Admit Poisoning Prominent Activist, 'Pose' Star Who Overdosed
NY Men Admit Poisoning Prominent Activist, 'Pose' Star Who Overdosed Two New York men formally confessed to their roles in the death of a prominent transgender activist, performer, and author. Michael Kuilan, age 44, of Brooklyn, pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing heroin and fentanyl in Brooklyn federal court Monday, Sept. 23, in the death of Cecilia Gentili. Earlier Report: NY Men 'Poisoned' Prominent Transgender Activist, 'Pose' Star Who OD'd: Feds It came weeks after Long Island resident Antonio Venti, age 52, of West Babylon, pleaded guilty to the same drug offenses. According to prosecutors, Venti and Kuilan sold heroin laced with fe…
Drug Dealer Nabbed After Fatal Overdose In Hudson Valley Gets Prison Time Drug Dealer Nabbed After Fatal Overdose In Hudson Valley Gets Prison Time
Drug Dealer Nabbed After Fatal Overdose In Hudson Valley Gets Prison Time A 30-year-old Connecticut man will spend several years in prison after he was caught selling a deadly heroin and fentanyl mixture following a fatal overdose in the Hudson Valley. New Haven County resident Brandon Gatling of Waterbury will serve six years in state prison after admitting to selling narcotics in Putnam County, Putnam County District Attorney Robert Tendy announced on Thursday, Sept. 12.  According to Tendy's office, Gatling was arrested on June 14, 2023, following an investigation into a fatal overdose conducted by the Putnam County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Enforce…
Quadruple Murder Case: Former Northern Westchester Police Officer Receives Sentence Quadruple Murder Case: Former Northern Westchester Police Officer Receives Sentence
Quadruple Murder Case: Former Northern Westchester Police Officer Receives Sentence A former police officer at several municipalities in Westchester and Dutchess counties has received his sentence for killing four men in the Hudson Valley over missing drug money.  Orange County resident and former cop Nicholas Tartaglione of Otisville, age 56, was sentenced on Monday, June 10 to four consecutive life sentences for the killings in the town of Chester in Orange County following a botched cocaine deal in April 2016 at the Likquid Lounge.  The four victims were: Martin Luna, age 41,  Urbano Santiago, age 32,  Miguel Luna, age 25,  Hector G…
NY Men 'Poisoned' Prominent Transgender Activist, 'Pose' Star Who OD'd: Feds NY Men 'Poisoned' Prominent Transgender Activist, 'Pose' Star Who OD'd: Feds
NY Men 'Poisoned' Prominent Transgender Activist, 'Pose' Star Who OD'd: Feds Two New York men are facing federal charges in the death of a prominent transgender activist, performer, and author. Long Island resident Antonio Venti, age 52, of West Babylon and Michael Kuilan, age 44, of Brooklyn, were arraigned on a four-count indictment in Brooklyn federal court on Monday, April 1. Prosecutors said Venti and Kuilan sold heroin laced with fentanyl to Cecilia Gentili. NYPD officers responded to the 52-year-old’s Brooklyn home on Feb. 6 following a 911 call from her partner. Gentili was found dead in her bedroom. An autopsy determined that she died from the combined eff…
Noncitizen Nabbed For Drug Trafficking In Westchester: Feds Noncitizen Nabbed For Drug Trafficking In Westchester: Feds
Noncitizen Nabbed For Drug Trafficking In Westchester: Feds Thirteen unlawfully present noncitizens caught in New York face drug trafficking and possession charges, including several who were apprehended in the Hudson Valley and on Long Island, officials said. The thirteen criminal noncitizens were apprehended following an effort by Enforcement and Removal Operations New York City Fugitive Operations officers conducted from Monday, March 11 to Tuesday, March 26, US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement announced on Friday, March 29.  The defendants all face charges related to the trafficking or possession of methamphetamines, fent…
Man Gets Prison Time For Operating Cocaine Delivery Service: Caused Death Of Westchester Man Man Gets Prison Time For Operating Cocaine Delivery Service: Caused Death Of Westchester Man
Man Gets Prison Time For Operating Cocaine Delivery Service: Caused Death Of Westchester Man A 41-year-old man will spend more than a decade in prison for operating a cocaine courier service that delivered fentanyl-tainted cocaine to a Westchester man, causing his death.  Florida resident Jose Luis Tejada Aybar of Miami was sentenced on Tuesday, Feb. 27 to 12 and a half years in prison for operating the Cab Louie Delivery Service, which brought cocaine to customers in the Bronx and Westchester, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced.  According to federal officials, Tejada Aybar began the delivery service in March 2018. To order…
Prominent Anti-Gun Director From Westchester Sentenced To Prison Prominent Anti-Gun Director From Westchester Sentenced To Prison
Prominent Anti-Gun Director From Westchester Sentenced To Prison A prominent Hudson Valley anti-gun leader has been sentenced to prison for drug trafficking in the region. Westchester County resident Michael Rodrigues, age 49, of Yonkers, was sentenced Thursday, Jan. 4, in Orange County Court to 10 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision. He pled guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance and conspiracy, said Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler.  Rodriguez is the director of Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence (B.R.A.G.), which is a prominent anti-violence program that receives government mon…
13 Kilos Of Cocaine, Heroin Worth $1.6M Seized In Westchester Drug Bust: Duo Faces Charges 13 Kilos Of Cocaine, Heroin Worth $1.6M Seized In Westchester Drug Bust: Duo Faces Charges
13 Kilos Of Cocaine, Heroin Worth $1.6M Seized In Westchester Drug Bust: Duo Faces Charges Two men were apprehended as part of a massive drug bust in Westchester that resulted in the seizure of $1.6 million worth of cocaine and heroin, police announced.  The drug bust, which happened on Thursday, Dec. 21 in Yonkers, was the culmination of a months-long investigation conducted by Group D-42 of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, Yonkers Police announced on Friday, Dec. 22.  As part of the lengthy investigation, the group, which includes Yonkers Police detectives, determined that narcotics were being transported from New Jersey to Yonkers.  In response…
Accused 'Serial' Drug Dealer From Westchester Nabbed After Yearlong Investigation Accused 'Serial' Drug Dealer From Westchester Nabbed After Yearlong Investigation
Accused 'Serial' Drug Dealer From Westchester Nabbed After Yearlong Investigation A yearlong investigation in the region has led to a new arrest of an accused "serial" drug dealer with police saying a significant connection of cocaine, fentanyl and heroin discovered in connection to the case. The probe into cocaine and crack cocaine being sold in Ulster County was launched in November 2022 by the City of Kingston Police Department and Town of Ulster Police Department Special Investigations Unit (SIU) in response to a growing number of both fatal and non-fatal overdoses of a suspected substance sold in glassine envelopes marked with a “Moet stamp.” "These stamp…
Duo Nabbed After Trying To Sell Cocaine To Undercover Officer In Hudson Valley: Police Duo Nabbed After Trying To Sell Cocaine To Undercover Officer In Hudson Valley: Police
Duo Nabbed After Trying To Sell Cocaine To Undercover Officer In Hudson Valley: Police Two Connecticut residents were arrested following a chase that began after one of the suspects tried selling cocaine to an undercover investigator in the Hudson Valley, police said.  New Haven County residents Luis Flores, age 32, and Lymaris Burgos, age 37, both from Ansonia, were arrested in late October in connection with an investigation into drug sales in Putnam County, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office announced on Monday, Nov. 22.  The events leading up to the duo's arrests began in October when an investigator discovered that Flores was involved in the sale of cocaine in …
K9 Helps Sniff Out Kilogram Of Cocaine During North Castle Traffic Stop: Police K9 Helps Sniff Out Kilogram Of Cocaine During North Castle Traffic Stop: Police
K9 Helps Sniff Out Kilogram Of Cocaine During North Castle Traffic Stop: Police A 25-year-old Connecticut man faces drug charges after authorities found him in possession of a kilogram of cocaine during a Northern Westchester traffic stop, police announced. The arrest resulted from an incident on Monday, Nov. 13, when a New York State Police trooper pulled over a 2014 Toyota Corolla on Interstate 684 in North Castle just after 3 p.m. for a vehicle and traffic law violation, authorities said. According to state police, the trooper and his K9 partner, Fortini, determined that the driver, 25-year-old New Haven County resident John Carlos Javier of Waterbury, had…
Westchester Woman, NJ Man Had 20 Pounds Of Fentanyl, Feds Say Westchester Woman, NJ Man Had 20 Pounds Of Fentanyl, Feds Say
Westchester Woman, NJ Man Had 20 Pounds Of Fentanyl, Feds Say A woman from Westchester and a New Jersey man were busted with 20 pounds of deadly fentanyl and 2½ pounds of cocaine for sale, federal authorities said. Lorendy Diaz Beltre De Inoa, age 27, of Yonkers, and Bergen County resident Plinio Junior Pineda Lopez, age 33, of Oakland, NJ, were arrested with 1.5 kilos of fentanyl in Wallington, US Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said Wednesday, July 12. Nearly 8 more kilos of hidden fentanyl were found during a court-approved search on Tuesday, July 11, of Lopez’s Hillside Avenue home just off West Oakland Avenue and down the street…
Quadruple Murder Case: Former Police Officer In Northern Westchester Found Guilty Quadruple Murder Case: Former Police Officer In Northern Westchester Found Guilty
Quadruple Murder Case: Former Police Officer In Northern Westchester Found Guilty A former police officer at several municipalities in Westchester and Dutchess counties has been convicted for the murders of four men in Orange County after a drug deal that went bad. According to an indictment that was filed in White Plains Federal Court, Nicholas Tartaglione killed Martin Luna, age 41, Urbano Santiago, age 32, Miguel Luna, age 25, and Hector Gutierrez, 43, at the Likquid Lounge in the town of Chester in Orange County following the botched cocaine deal in April 2016. The first victim was allegedly strangled with a zip tie, and three others were taken to an Otisville home i…
Man Caught With 5 Grams Of Cocaine On I-684, Police Say Man Caught With 5 Grams Of Cocaine On I-684, Police Say
Man Caught With 5 Grams Of Cocaine On I-684, Police Say A Connecticut man faces drug charges after he was caught with cocaine during a traffic stop in the Hudson Valley, police said.  On Friday, Feb. 10 around 10:15 p.m., police in Putnam County pulled over a 2012 Acura TL on Interstate 684 in Southeast for violations of traffic and vehicle laws. After a short investigation, officers found the driver to be in possession of five grams of cocaine, according to New York State Police.  The driver, identified as Danbury resident Kenneth Rios, age 26, was charged with the following:  Third-degree criminal possession of a con…
Westchester County Detectives Help Find $300K Of Cocaine In Hidden Compartment Of Car Westchester County Detectives Help Find $300K Of Cocaine In Hidden Compartment Of Car
Westchester County Detectives Help Find $300K Of Cocaine In Hidden Compartment Of Car Several members of the Westchester County Police Department helped catch a man who had $300,000 worth of cocaine hidden in his car, police said. On Monday, Nov. 28, around 6:30 p.m., members of the federal Drug Enforcement Agency's Group D-42, which includes detectives from the WCPD, conducted surveillance in Queens and observed the suspect enter his car with what appeared to be a weighed shopping bag, and then followed him as he drove to the West Farms neighborhood of the Bronx, according to an announcement by police on Friday, Dec. 16. When he parked, agents and police officers from …