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Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler and Port Jervis Police Chief William Worden announced that they have arrested and charged 18 people who have been linked to drug possession and sales throughout the region.
Several of the suspects have also been charged with smuggling drugs into the Orange County Jail and prostitution.
On Monday, March 7, Hoovler announced that the 18 have been charged with crimes pertaining to the trafficking of crack cocaine, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and prescription drugs throughout the City of Port Jervis, surrounding areas, and into the Orange County Jail.
Those arrested and the charges they face:
- Michael Siano, age 27, was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance for crack cocaine and cocaine;
- Jarves Evans, age 25, was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance for crack cocaine and Suboxone;
- Ashton Dieudonne, age 31, was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance for fentanyl;
- Patricia Bush, age 35, was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance for fentanyl;
- Brian Gunther, age 38, was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance for fentanyl;
- Nicholas Sperring, age 32, was charged with third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance for fentanyl, heroin, and Suboxone;
- Erin Keeler, age 31, was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance for fentanyl and heroin;
- Amber Newell, age 37, was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance for crack cocaine;
- Daniel Graham, age 34, was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance for crack cocaine and cocaine;
- Anne Crider, age 41, was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance for fentanyl and crack cocaine;
- Nathaniel Green, age 54, was charged with third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance for fentanyl, crack cocaine, and Suboxone;
- Lenny Smith, age 31, was charged with third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance for cocaine;
- Jermaine Bush, age 40, was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance for cocaine;
- Deidra Walker, age 34, was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and promoting prison contraband for fentanyl and Suboxone;
- Dashell Powlus, age 25, was charged with promoting prison contraband for Suboxone;
- Michael Demario, age 31, was charged with third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance for fentanyl and heroin;
- Joseph Harper, age 28, was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance for fentanyl;
- Jessica Koba, age 20, was charged with prostitution.
According to prosecutors, the arrests were part of a multi-agency investigation conducted by these law enforcement agencies:
- City of Port Jervis Police Department;
- Orange County Drug Task Force (OCDTF);
- Orange County District Attorney’s Office;
- Orange County Sheriff’s Office;
- Town of Deerpark Police Department;
- Pike County District Attorney’s Office.
Investigators said that between December 2021 and March 2022, undercover agents in Orange County purchased drugs from some of the suspects charged around Port Jervis, and the investigation led to the execution of multiple search warrants that resulted in the seizure of drugs and tools in the drug trade.
Hoovler noted that further investigation found that there was also some smuggling of narcotics into the Orange County Jail.
“While drugs pour into our communities, we and our partners in law enforcement will not stop until we root out those who seed the poison into our neighborhoods,” he said. "Dedicated police work like this will help prevent the needless deaths we see every day owing to the opioid crisis.
“Drug dealers will be found and will be held to account for their actions.”
According to investigators, “the enforcement action was designed to target individuals trafficking narcotics in order to restore and maintain order in neighborhoods in and around the City of Port Jervis.”
They noted that many of those who were arrested were released without bail under the recent bail reform statutes.
“Unfortunately, drugs have infiltrated every community in America and have killed countless men, women, and children that were being supplied by those seeking a profit,” Port Jervis Mayor Kelly Decker said in a statement. “Since it is the goal of a municipality’s police department to serve and protect its citizens, I am proud to say that our City of Port Jervis Police Department officers have been strong in that effort.
“No family goes untouched in this terrible addiction and stopping profiteers in this demise is the fight that we need to continue to have, even if it keeps only one person from addiction or even dying.”
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