Grand Jury Indicts 35 For Selling Heroin, More In Hudson Valley
A grand jury indicted 35 Hudson Valley residents who allegedly made $3 million in profits selling heroin, cocaine, PCP and more in the local area.
On Tuesday, an Orange County grand jury charged 35 with felonies related to conspiring to sell cocaine and heroin in the Hudson Valley. The grand jury issued two indictments that alleged the existence of two separate drug selling organizations.
One indictment alleges a narcotics distribution conspiracy directed by 43-year-old Lamont Williams, Sr., of Wallkill and his son 27-year-old Lamont Williams, Jr., of Port Jervis. The other indictment alleges a narcotics distribution conspiracy run by 45-year-old Ramon Rivera and his son 25-year-old Raymond Rivera both of Newburgh.
“The narcotics trafficking that is destroying the fabric of our society and killing our residents must be fought at every level,” Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said. “My office will continue to use every tool at our disposal, including the use of wiretaps, civil forfeiture actions, and criminal statutes that have never been charged before in Orange County, to combat the illicit narcotics trade and all types of organized criminal activity.”
Following a nine-month investigation, dubbed “Operation Family Ties,” in March, local police executed sixteen search warrants and arrested over thirty individuals on felony charges.
The investigation targeted the sales of heroin, cocaine, PCP and marijuana in the City of Newburgh and several surrounding towns in Orange County.
The investigation began in June of 2016, when the City of Newburgh Police Department and the New York State Police received information about illegal drug sales on Carson Avenue in the City of Newburgh. The investigation uncovered evidence that Lamont Williams, Sr. and his son, Lamont Williams, Jr., were operating a drug-trafficking organization known as “Carson’s Casino,” police say.
The indictment alleges the following people were involved with the Williams family.
The other indictment alleges the following people were involved with the Rivera family.
In addition to the criminal charges, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office wants the defendants to return the allegedly over $3 million in profits the group made selling drugs.
It is anticipated that additional charges against more people will be filed, officials say.
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