Orange County resident Antonio Bucci, age 29, of Chester, entered the plea on Tuesday, Sept. 10, according to Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler.
Hoovler said Bucci's admission comes after a year-long investigation by the New York State Police, the Orange County Drug Task Force, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
As part of the investigation, the District Attorney’s Office applied for permission to use court-ordered eavesdropping in the case. Search warrants were executed at residences in the village of Chester and the Bronx, which resulted in the recovery of over a kilogram of cocaine, $36,000 in cash, and four loaded handguns, Hoovler said.
As alleged in charging documents filed in the court, Bucci acted as a director of a controlled substance organization that sold cocaine exceeding $75,000 in less than a year.
“This conviction, which is the 15th operating as a major trafficker case handled by my office, stands as a testament to our commitment to making and keeping our community safe,” said Hoovler.
Bucci will be sentenced to 10 years in prison in November.
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