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The bust took place in the city of Poughkeepsie on Tuesday, May 17, and resulted in the arrest of Orange County resident Laquan Falls, age 26, of Newburgh.
The arrest is the culmination of a three-month investigation by the Dutchess County Drug Task Force into Falls drugs sales in Dutchess, Orange, and Ulster County areas, said Det/Sergeant Adam D. Harris, coordinator of the task force.
When taken into custody by task force agents Falls was in possession of a significant quantity of fentanyl as well as other illegal drugs, Harris said.
Search warrants related to the investigation were also executed in Orange and Ulster counties resulting in the seizure of additional narcotics, Harris added.
Falls was arraigned in the city of Poughkeepsie Justice Court and remanded to the Dutchess County Jail.
He also has a federal arrest warrant for his arrest as a result of this investigation, Harris said.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can often be lethal in small doses. Illegal drugs, for example, heroin, are often contaminated with fentanyl.
The drug is believed to be 100 times more potent than morphine and according to the DEA, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal.
In Dutchess County, there have been a significant number of overdose deaths related to fentanyl use, Harris said.
The task force was assisted by:
Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team
- DEA
- US Probation
- Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office
- Ulster County Sheriff’s Office
- City of Poughkeepsie Neighborhood Recovery Unit Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force
- New York State Parole
- City of Newburgh Police
- Town of Lloyd Police.
If anyone has information about individuals selling drugs you are urged to contact 845-463-6040.
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