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Attorney General Barbara Underwood announced this week that a 110-count indictment charging 12 members of a narcotics trafficking ring operating in Dutchess, Orange and Ulster counties has been unsealed. They are accused of selling thousands of prescription pills, including oxycodone, amphetamine, diazepam, clonazepam, and buprenorphine to dozens of customers each day.
The indictment alleges that several members of the drug ring focused on the purchase and resale of prescription pills, including oxycodone, Adderall, Valium, Klonopin and Suboxone.
According to Underwood, the 12 allegedly would refer to specific dosages of oxycodone pills by the shape and color of the oxycodone pills. They called 30-milligram oxycodone pills “blueberries,” “blueberry pie,” or “blues”; 15-milligram oxycodone pills were referred to as “green apples” or “greens”; and 10-milligram oxycodone pills as “bananas” or “yellows.”
“As we allege, this narcotics trafficking ring sold thousands of prescription pills to dozens of individuals,” she stated. “My office is committed to continuing our multi-leveled approach to tackling New York’s opioid epidemic – including working with our partners in law enforcement to stop the flow of these dangerous drugs into our communities and drive traffickers out of business.”
Each of the 12 suspects were charged with conspiracy, criminal sale of a controlled substance, both felonies, and other crimes. Among those charged include:
- Kimberly Bevan, 33, of Poughkeepsie;
- Timothy Cherry, 54, of Newburgh;
- James “Jim-Bob” Lee Davis, 59, of Newburgh;
- Michael Dubois, 39, of Newburgh;
- John “Johnny Boy” Loverro, 54, of Poughkeepsie;
- Michael Rhodes, 40, of Poughkeepsie;
- Savanna Sherow, 19, of Hyde Park;
- Trisha Sucato, 49, of Highland;
- “Uncle” Mark Thomas, 56, of Poughkeepsie;
- Nicole Vantassell, 42, of Poughkeepsie, and;
- Arthur J Volgarino, Jr., 59, of Hopewell Junction.
If convicted, each of the 12 each face a term of between eight and a third to 25 years in prison.
“As a result of interagency coordination and commitment among our law enforcement partners, a major drug trafficking operation has been shut down and numerous criminals have been removed from our streets,” New York State Police Superintendent George Beach II said.
“These drugs perpetuate a cycle of addiction and criminal behavior which in turn threatens the safety and security of our neighborhoods. I want to thank our members and law enforcement partners for their tenacious dedication to tracking illegal drugs and intercepting them at their source before they can be distributed on our streets.”
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