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Acting Rockland County District Attorney Kevin Gilleece announced during a press conference on Thursday, Feb. 28, that the 11 arrested were part of a large-scale heroin trafficking operation based in the Town of Haverstraw.
The investigation dubbed “Operation True Lady” began in June 2018, when detectives assigned to the Rockland County Drug Task Force received information regarding a sweeping heroin network allegedly led by Santos Alvarado, 42, of 91 Blauvelt Ave., West Haverstraw, the DA's Office said.
Detectives quickly developed information that led to Alvarado’s customers, the source of supply and methods of distribution. It was soon determined that Alvarado was using his home as a base of operations, from which he allegedly sold heroin to customers.
Two of Alvarado’s suppliers were identified as Ramon Dejesus, 57, of 52 Westside Avenue, Unit #2, Haverstraw, and Ernest Camacho, 41, of 203 Route 9W, Haverstraw, the DA's office said.
Both Dejesus and Camacho also allegedly utilized their Haverstraw homes as their respective bases of operations.
Dejesus’ and Camacho’s source of supply was identified as Elio Duarte, 60, of 7 Wargo Court, West Haverstraw.
Investigators found that Duarte utilized both public transit and private transportation to travel to the homes of Dejesus and Camacho to re-supply the two with heroin.
On Dec. 14, 2018, Duarte was arrested in a vehicle stop in Haverstraw, along with his wife Jeanette Toribio, 55, of the Dominican Republic and daughter Yanery Martinez, 36, of 486 East 29th St., Paterson, New Jersey.
All three were occupants in Martinez’ Toyota Highlander, in which the Rockland County Drug Task Force and Haverstraw Police recovered over three pounds of heroin. Detectives also recovered an additional 2 1/2 kilograms of heroin, $23,210 in cash and other drug paraphernalia.
The ring allegedly sold several “brands” of heroin, including “True Religion,” “Sexy Lady,” and “Pitbull.”
Besides ringleader Alvarado, other customers of Dejesus and Camacho who re-sold heroin were identified as Pedro Lopez, Alan Jones, Jerry Ramirez, Brian Moore, and Jose Candelario.
The defendants - who range in age from 23 to 60 - have been charged with various degrees of criminal sale of a controlled substance, first, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and conspiracy.
The top count in the indictment carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in state prison, the DA's office said
“The indictments describe a tightly-knit narcotics ring operating from private homes in Haverstraw and West Haverstraw that catered almost exclusively to drug buyers in Rockland County," Gilleece said. "The criminals who push this deadly poison in our neighborhoods - motivated only by profit - devastate our community and feed the disease of addiction, which has touched all of us."
The investigation was conducted by the Haverstraw Police Department, the FBI, and the Rockland County Drug Task Force.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Michael Dugandzic.
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