NY AG: 12 People Convicted in Hudson Valley Drug Trafficking Bust
Letitia James, New York’s Attorney General, announced Friday the convictions of 12 people for flooding the Hudson Valley with cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. The convictions follow an 11-month investigation by the AG’s Organised Crime Task Force. All of the defendants pleaded guilty to criminal counts for their involvement in the trafficking enterprise. During their investigation, the task team seized more than $1.3 million in drugs, approximately 40 firearms, and $120,000 in cash.
12 People Convicted in Hudson Valley:
In June 2022, state and local police, as well as the attorney general’s office, dismantled the trafficking ring, recovering 11 kilograms of cocaine and more than 20,000 pills worth a total of $1.3 million, 39 firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and $120,000 cash. This resulted in a 275-count indictment against 12 people involved in the conspiracy. During a news conference to announce the indictments, James detailed the scheme. Pulichene allegedly purchased fake Oxycodone pills from Kingston resident Alton Countryman, while fake Adderall pills were obtained from a source on the West Coast. Pulichene would then sell them to the four other defendants in the indictment.
What does the Investigation Say?
The 11-month investigation was conducted by the attorney general’s Organised Crime Task Force, the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team, the Dutchess County Drug Task Force, the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, and the State Police’s Special Investigations Unit, with assistance from the Ulster County district attorney’s office? The attorney general stated that it comprised hundreds of hours of physical and covert surveillance, court-authorized eavesdropping of cellular phones, and examining phone records and law enforcement databases. The 11 remaining defendants were charged with various charges of conspiracy, criminal possession and sale of a controlled narcotic, and criminal possession of a weapon. All pleaded guilty to felony charges before Judge Bryan E. Rounds in Ulster County Court.
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