“Operation Family Ties” Targeted Major Narcotics Distributors

37 Defendants Charged With Felonies Related to Conspiring
to Sell Cocaine and Heroin

Police Execute 16 Search Warrants and Recover 521.5 Grams of Cocaine
43.91Grams of Heroin, 8.21 Pounds of Marijuana, 5 Ounces of PCP,
$111,056, a Stolen .45 Caliber Pistol, and a 12 Gauge Shotgun

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler, and Major David Krause, of the New York State Police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team [“C-NET”], announced that on March 13, 2017, the New York State Police, the City of Newburgh Police Department, and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, conducted sixteen search warrant executions and arrested 34 individuals on felony charges as part of a nine month long narcotics investigation. The US Drug Enforcement Administration, the Town of New Windsor Police, the Town of Newburgh Police, the City of Port Jervis Police Department, and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance also aided in the execution of the search warrants. The New York State Police and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office are requesting the public’s help in locating three other individuals wanted in connection with the investigation

The investigation, dubbed “Operation Family Ties”, targeted the distribution of heroin, cocaine, PCP and marijuana in the City of Newburgh, and several surrounding towns in Orange County, NY. The investigation commenced in June of 2016, when the City of Newburgh Police Department , and the New York State Police, received information concerning illegal narcotics sales in the area of 170 Carson Avenue, in the City of Newburgh. The investigation uncovered evidence that Lamont Williams Sr., 45, of Wallkill, and his son, Lamont Williams Jr., 27, of Port Jervis, were operating a drug trafficking organization known as “Carson’s Casino”. It is alleged that Lamont Williams Sr. and Lamont Williams Jr. employed numerous individuals, many of whom are family members, to sell powder cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin and PCP.

Further investigation also revealed evidence that the Williams organization was being supplied with narcotics by another drug trafficking organization run by Ramon Rivera.

Ramon Rivera, 45, of Newburgh, was charged with Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree. It is alleged that Rivera’s organization supplied the Williams’ organization, and others, with powder cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin. Ramon Rivera, and his son, Raymond Rivera, are alleged to have regularly sold multiple ounces of narcotics to other drug trafficking organizations, predominantly from Ramon Rivera’s garage which was located within “Grieco’s Garage” at 117 Mill Street in the City of Newburgh. The execution of a search warrant at Raymond Rivera’s residence resulted in the seizure of over 60 grams of cocaine.

It is alleged that one of Ramon Rivera’s suppliers was Ruben Cruz, 52, of New Windsor. During the execution of a search warrant at Cruz’ residence, located at 3204 Apt. # 1B, New Windsor, New York approximately 120 grams of cocaine was recovered. Cruz was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree.

Earnest Washington, 58, of the Bronx, was charged with the crimes of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree and Conspiracy in the Second Degree, and is alleged to have been the supplier of PCP for the Williams’ organization. On March 13, 2017, a search warrant was executed at Washington’s residence located at 2630 Kings Bridge Terrace, Bronx, New York. Over 300 grams of cocaine, glass jars containing approximately 4 ounces of PCP, a kilogram press and other drug paraphernalia were recovered in the residence.

The search warrant executed at 81 Carson Avenue in the City of Newburgh, which is the residence of Tamika Clegg, Lamara Williams and Desmond Williams, yielded the recovery of a loaded Sig Sauer .45 caliber pistol along with a large quantity of cash. The search warrant of 32 Pomerico Drive in the Town of Newburgh, Carlos Csoke and William Rodriguez Jr.’s residence yield the recovery over 8 pounds of marijuana, a 12 gauge shotgun, and a large amount of cash.

Evidence recovered during the execution of the sixteen search warrants included 521.5 grams of cocaine, 43.91grams of heroin, 8.21 pounds of marijuana, 5 ounces of PCP, $111,056 in cash, a stolen .45 caliber pistol, and a 12 gauge shotgun.

Those charged in this enforcement action include:

Defendant
Age
Residence
Top Charge
Prior Felony (Y or N)

Ruben Cruz
52
Newburgh, NY
CPCS 2
N
Ramon Rivera
45
Newburgh, NY
CSCS 1
Y
Raymond Rivera
25
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
N
Lance Faison
39
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
Y
Richard Mauro
45
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
N
Jason Anderson
44
Highland, NY
Conspiracy 2
Y
Luis Rodriguez
31
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
N
Eugene Johnson
46
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
Y
Luis Paulino
40
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
N
Earnest Washington
59
New York, NY
Conspiracy 2
N
Lamont Williams Sr.
43
Wallkill, NY
CSCS 2
Y
Lamont Williams Jr.
27
Port Jervis, NY
Conspiracy 2
Y
Valerie Williams
41
Wallkill, NY
Conspiracy 2
N
Kihuana Blackmon
37
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
N
Tamika Clegg
42
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
N
Lamara Williams
26
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
N
Desmond Williams
18
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
N
Diana Herbin
22
Wallkill, NY
CSCS 2
N
Steven Hall
25
Wallkill, NY
Conspiracy 2
Y
Steven Reed
24
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
N
Cory Arnold
24
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
Y
Mark Robinson
36
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
Y
Sabrina Herring
34
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
N
Gabriel Richards
25
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
N
Corey Perdue
36
Highlands, NY
Conspiracy 2
Y
Thomas Downer
46
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
N
Ryan Nagle
23
Monroe, NY
Conspiracy 2
N
Joseph Horace
26
Marlboro, NY
Conspiracy 2
N
William McNeil
28
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
N
Shanice Jones
24
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
N
Scott Lemin
46
Monroe, NY
Conspiracy 2
N
Nancy Cruz
46
New Windsor, NY
CPCS 2
N
Willie Rodriguez
24
Newburgh, NY
CPM 2
N
Carlos Csoke
46
Newburgh, NY
CPM 2
Y

The following individuals have been charged with the following crimes, and have not been arrested. The District Attorney’s Office is asking for the public’s cooperation in obtaining information concerning their location:

Defendant
Age
Residence
Top Charge
Predicate Felony
Augusto Camacho
62
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
Y
Jermaine Boykin
39
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
Y
Luis Pena
31
Newburgh, NY
Conspiracy 2
N

The maximum sentence for the Class A-1 felony of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, with prior felony conviction is 24 in state prison.

The maximum sentence for the Class A-II felonies of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree, with no prior felony convictions, is 10 in state prison.

The maximum sentence for the Class B felony of Conspiracy in the Second Degree with no prior felony conviction is 8 1/3 to 25 years in State Prison. The maximum sentence with a prior felony conviction is 12 ½ to 25 years in state prison.

The maximum sentence for the Class D felony of Criminal Possession of Marijuana in the Second Degree is 2 1/2 years in state prison with no prior felony convictions and 4 years in state prison with a prior felony conviction.

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the New York State Police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team, the City of Newburgh Police Department, the US Drug Enforcement Administration, the Town of New Windsor Police, the Town of Newburgh Police, the City of Port Jervis Police Department, and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Criminal Investigations Division for their efforts in this investigation. District Attorney Hoovler highly commended the New York State Police for their investigation given the complexity of the case.

Assistant District Attorney Neal Eriksen assisted in the investigation of the case and is prosecuting all of the defendants charged in the operation.

“We are truly fortunate in Orange County that the various law enforcement agencies working in the county cooperate so well with each other,” said District Attorney Hoovler. “The narcotics trafficking that is destroying the fabric of our society and killing our residents must be fought at every level It is only through coordinated enforcement actions such as “Operation Family Ties” that law enforcement is able to pursue those higher level drug dealers and craftier offenders who attempt to insulate themselves from criminal liability by dealing drugs through intermediaries. Although we have emphasized education and treatment as important avenues to keep people off drugs in the first place, so that we may dry up the demand for illegal narcotics, we have also made it a priority to attack the supply of narcotics by vigorous enforcement actions against narcotics dealers. Organized criminal activity, especially which involves illegal weapons, presents the public and law enforcement with additional challenges and concerns, and it simply cannot be tolerated. My office will continue to use every tool at our disposal, including the use of wiretaps, civil forfeiture actions, and utilizing criminal statutes which have never been charged before in Orange County, to combat the illicit narcotics trade and all types of organized criminal activity.”

A criminal charge is merely an allegation 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’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.