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Orange County Drug Trafficker Admits Guilt, Faces 13 Years In Prison
A major Hudson Valley drug trafficker pleaded guilty to selling drugs and is expected to spend up to 13 years in prison.
Orang County resident Andrew Mitchell, aka "Loc," age 49, of Chester, pleaded on Friday, Sept. 27.
According to Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler, Mitchell was arrested as a result of an over four-month-long investigation designed to disrupt major narcotics trafficking in the City of Port Jervis and surrounding areas, including Pike County, Pennsylvania.
The investigation, dubbed “Operation Final Blow,” resulted in the seizure o…
Westchester Doctor Admits To Prescribing Over 100K Oxycodone Pills Knowing They'd Be Resold
A Westchester County doctor could spend decades in prison after admitting that he illegally prescribed opioid pills knowing they’d be resold on the street.
Marc Laruelle, age 65, of Yonkers, pleaded guilty to one count of distributing Oxycodone, amphetamines, and Xanax in federal court in Manhattan Wednesday, Oct. 19.
Prosecutors said Laruelle, a licensed psychiatrist, illegally prescribed more than 100,000 doses of Oxycodone “outside of the usual course of professional practice” between September 2016 and October 2021.
Highly potent and addictive, the drug often commands a high price in …
Hudson Valley Man Charged With Illegally Distributing More Than 1.2M Oxycodone Pills
A Hudson Valley man was one of eight people charged in federal court with conspiracy to distribute more than 1.2 million oxycodone pills.
Orange County resident Anthony Mathis, age 55, of New Windsor, was indicted on Wednesday, Oct. 12, in a 10-count indictment along with a Brooklyn doctor, office manager, and two pharmacists.
According to Breon Peace, US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, the group allegedly operated a drug distribution ring from a medical office in Brooklyn.
From December 2018 to October, the group unlawfully distributed more than 11,000 prescriptions for oxy…
Dentist In Hudson Valley Admits To Fraudulently Obtaining Oxycodone For Her Own Use
A dentist from the Hudson Valley has pleaded guilty to obtaining oxycodone for her own use.
Ulster County resident Vivian Letizia, age 63, of Stone Ridge, made the plea on Friday, April 15, according to US Attorney Carla Freedman.
In pleading guilty, Letizia admitted that, in December 2019, she fraudulently submitted a prescription for oxycodone for one of her dentistry patients using that patient’s name and date of birth, the US Attorney's Office said.
Letizia then obtained the oxycodone from a pharmacy in Woodstock, for her own consumption. At the time Letizia submitted the prescription …
Man Caught With Large Amounts Of Fentanyl, Cocaine During Traffic Stop In Area, Police Say
A 31-year-old man was busted with an alleged large amount of fentanyl and cocaine during a routine traffic stop in the area by New York State Police.
Donavan L. Porter, of New York City, was arrested around 2:05 p.m., on Wednesday, April 7, following a stop on Beekman Road in the town of Beekman, said Trooper AJ Hicks.
An investigation during the stop discovered Porter was in possession of approximately 23.1 grams of cocaine, and 44.1 grams of oxycodone, Hicks said.
He was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance and two counts of possession of a controlle…
Man, Woman From Orange County Caught With Fentanyl, Crack During Traffic Stop, Police Say
A convicted felon and a second woman were busted by New York State Police troopers with fentanyl, prescription pills, other drugs and an illegal weapon in the Hudson Valley.
Troopers stopped Newburgh resident Roy Brown, 59, on Route 17K in Newburgh on Wednesday, Aug. 12, when he committed a traffic violation, police said.
During the subsequent stop, police said that troopers learned that there was a "billy club" in the vehicle. Brown and his passenger, New Windsor resident Alexis Lynch. 29, were asked to exit the Nissan Altima.
Police said that a search of the vehicle led to the…
Nypd Officer Among Trio Charged In Drug Distribution Ring
An NYPD officer and two co-conspirators, all from Long Island, are facing charges for their alleged roles in a drug trafficking scheme, authorities announced.
Officer Joseph Recca, 28, of West Islip, and two others were arraigned on Wednesday, July 22, Suffolk County officials said. They were arrested the day prior during a traffic stop.
Recca, Michael Sosa, of Brentwood, and Michael Corbett, of West Islip, are facing charges that include conspiracy, drug sales, and drug possession.
Additionally, Recca was charged with unauthorized use of a computer and official misconduct for allegedly r…
Westchester Trio Nabbed In Major Drug Ring Takedown
Three Westchester County men have been indicted on charges they operated a complex drug-dealing operation that sent tractor-trailer loads of drugs across the country.
Giovanny Arias, Victor Salazar, and Hector Maren, all of White plains, are three of 11 people indicted following a two-year investigation, said the Queens Acting District Attorney John Ryan.
According to the DA's office, the ring used long-haul truckers to transport carfentanil -- a substance 100 times more deadly than fentanyl -- in addition to heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, ketamine, and tramadol across the country.
One of the…
Man, Woman Caught With Ecstasy, Oxycodone In I-87 Stop, Police Say
A man and woman are facing drug charges after police say they were caught with ecstasy and Oxycodone during an I-87 traffic stop.
New York State Police say they stopped a vehicle on I-87 in the town of Woodbury for an infraction on Tuesday, June 25 around 1:35 a.m.
While interviewing the driver, identified as William Vidal, 39, of the Bronx, police say they established probable cause to search the vehicle.
Further investigation revealed that Vidal and the vehicle’s passenger, Jennifer Hernandez, 33, of the Bronx, were in possession of 57 grams of ecstasy pills, .9 grams of Oxycodone pills …
Four Major Drug Traffickers Taken Down, 25 Others Arrested During Raids In Area
In a dramatic movie-style series of raids, a total of 29 people were arrested Tuesday during a drug enforcement action dubbed "Operation Bread, White and Blues."
The bust went down early Tuesday morning as members of the DEA, FBI, the New York State Police, and the Orange County Sheriff's Office, raided several locations, including an Orange County firehouse in the City of Middletown in which one of the main dealers was an acting fire lieutenant, said Trooper Steven Nevel.
Of the 29 arrested, three have been charged with the felony operating as a major trafficker, including the lieutenant, …
Again? Mahwah Grandparents With Drug-Dealing History Busted For Selling Oxy, Xanax, More
Two grandparents busted on similar charges in Rockland County were running an opioid distribution ring in Mahwah, according to police who said they arrested them with Oxycodone, Xanax and DAB for sale – as well as $16,000 in proceeds -- after a raid on their home.
Linda Famelico, 61, who has a history of similar arrests in Rockland and Bergen counties, was arrested Friday night at a local restaurant where she works as a delivery person, Police Chief James N. Batelli said.
Moments earlier, her husband, 62-year-old Aniello Famelico, was taken into custody during a court-approved search of the…
Man Accused Of Using Fake Prescriptions To Get Oxycodone, Other Drugs At Orange County Pharmacy
Working on a tip, Orange County law enforcement officials arrested a 64-year-old man for allegedly using fake prescriptions to get oxycodone and other drugs.
Eugene Anthony Lloyd, of New York City, was arrested Tuesday by officials with the Orange County Drug Task Force, Orange County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, after information was developed from the tip, said the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
According to the DA's Office, Lloyd was submitting forged prescriptions, in exchange for oxycodone and oxymorphone pills at the Dolsontown Pharmacy, 1291 Dolsont…
Bergen Prosecutor: Westchester Couple Busted Selling Ecstasy To Undercover Detectives
A Westchester couple sold Ecstasy to undercover Bergen County prosecutor’s detectives who busted them, authorities said Friday.
Daniel Velasquez, a 32-year-old furniture distribution supervisor, and Kayla Grace Raffaele, 18, both of New Rochelle, became targets in June after detectives received a tip, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo said.
On July 25, Velasquez sold 25 Ecstasy pills to an undercover investigator in Paramus, Calo said. Five days later, Raffaele – accompanied by Velasquez -- sold 70 more in Hackensack, the prosecutor said.
Both were then immediately arrested, he s…
