03/08/2022
Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler and City of Port Jervis Police Chief William Worden Announce Arrests Stemming from Long Term Drug Investigations
Eighteen Defendants Charged with Counts Related to the Possession and Sale of Narcotics in the City of Port Jervis and Surrounding Areas
Several Defendants Charged with Promoting Prison Contraband for Smuggling of Narcotics into Orange County Jail
Numerous Undercover Drug Sales and Subsequent Search Warrant Executions Result in Recovery of Quantities of Narcotics, US Currency, and Narcotics Packaging Materials
Enforcement Action to Restore and Maintain Order in and Around the City of Port Jervis
Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler and City of Port Jervis Police Chief William Worden announced on March 7, 2022 that eighteen defendants have been charged with crimes pertaining to the trafficking of crack co***ne, co***ne, he**in, fentanyl and prescription drugs throughout the City of Port Jervis, and surrounding areas, and into the Orange County Jail. The arrests are part of a multi-agency investigation and enforcement action conducted by the City of Port Jervis Police Department, the Orange County Drug Task Force (OCDTF), and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, who were assisted by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Group, the Town of Deerpark Police Department, and the Pike County District Attorney’s Office.
From December 2021 through March 2022, undercover investigators purchased quantities of narcotics from individuals in and around the City of Port Jervis. Information and evidence gathered during the undercover sales led to the ex*****on of numerous search warrants that resulted in the recovery of additional narcotics and other tools of the drug trade. Further investigation revealed the smuggling of narcotics into the Orange County Jail.
The enforcement action was designed to target individuals trafficking narcotics in order to restore and maintain order in neighborhoods in and around the City of Port Jervis. The defendants were arrested and charged with crimes including Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, for selling narcotics, including crack co***ne, he**in, and fentanyl to undercover police officers. Others were charged with Promoting Prison Contraband in the First Degree for smuggling narcotics into the Orange County Jail. One was charged with Prostitution. Many of those arrested were released without bail due to the recent bail reform statutes.
Last Name
First Name
Age
Substance
Top Count
Siano
Michael
27
Crack co***ne, co***ne
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3
Evans
Jarves
25
Crack co***ne, Suboxone
Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 3
Dieudonne
Ashton
31
Fentanyl
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3
Bush
Patricia
35
Fentanyl
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3
Gunther
Brian
38
Fentanyl
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3
Sperring
Nicholas
32
Fentanyl, he**in, Suboxone
Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 3
Keeler
Erin
39
Fentanyl, he**in
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3
Newell
Amber
37
Crack co***ne
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3
Graham
Daniel
34
Crack co***ne, co***ne
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3
Crider
Anne
41
Crack co***ne, fentanyl
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3
Green
Nathaniel
54
Crack co***ne, fentanyl, Suboxone
Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 3
Smith
Lenny
41
Co***ne
Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 3
Bush
Jermaine
40
Co***ne
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3
Walker
Deidra
34
Fentanyl, Suboxone
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3, Promoting Prison Contraband 1
Powlus
Dashell
25
Suboxone
Promoting Prison Contraband 1
Demaio
Michael
31
Fentanyl, he**in
Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 3
Harper
Joseph
28
Fentanyl
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3
Koba
Jessica
20
N/A
Prostitution
“Let this, the latest in a series of enforcement actions under my watch, serve as a warning to those who seek to profit on the backs of the most vulnerable,” said District Attorney David M. Hoovler. “While drugs pour into our communities, we and our partners in law enforcement will not stop until we root out those who seed the poison into our neighborhoods. Dedicated police work like this will help prevent the needless deaths we see every day owing to the opioid crisis. Drug dealers will be found and will be held to account for their actions. I applaud the ceaseless efforts of the City of Port Jervis Police Department, the Orange County Drug Task Force and our other law enforcement partners in this fight. Coordinated efforts of law enforcement like this one are necessary to stop the wholesale flow of drugs in our county.”
“The illicit possession and sale of narcotics is associated with a large percentage of crime that occurs in our community,” said City of Port Jervis Police Chief William Worden.
“We are committed to be proactive and work with our partners in law enforcement and our community to keep our city safe. I want to express my sincere gratitude for the hard work, dedication and professionalism to all involved in this important investigation and we pledge to continue our tireless efforts to investigate and prosecute those who are trafficking illicit narcotics in our neighborhoods.”
“The Orange County Sheriff’s Office continues to be a partner committed in assisting local municipalities and police agencies to arrest and convict those selling illegal drugs in our communities,” said Sheriff Carl DuBois.
“Unfortunately, drugs have infiltrated every community in America and have killed countless men, women and children that were being supplied by those seeking a profit,” said City of Port Jervis Mayor Kelly Decker. “Since it is the goal of a municipality’s police department to serve and protect its citizens, I am proud to say that our City of Port Jervis Police Department officers have been strong in that effort. No family goes untouched in this terrible addiction and stopping profiteers in this demise is the fight that we need to continue to have, even if it keeps only one person from addiction or even dying. Over the last 3 months our officers have worked in collaboration with the Orange County District Attorney’s office, Orange County Drug Task Force and our neighbors in the Town of Deerpark Police Department and Pike County Drug Task Force in investigating and arresting individuals selling the poisons of crack co***ne, he**in and fentanyl to our residents. Our city stands by and commits resources to stop this infiltration of drugs to our city streets. We want the drug dealers to realize they are not welcome here and that at the very least we interrupt their supply chain and most importantly their profits while hopefully saving lives. I, for one, am very proud of our officers and ‘Thank’ them for keeping up the fight.”
The cases are being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Janine Kovacs and Assistant District Attorneys Neal Eriksen, Alexis Gregory, and Eric Valentin.
A criminal charge is merely an allegation by the police that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
