Tramel Morman Pleads Guilty to Murder in Fatal Shooting of Coree White

Juwan Dolson Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder

Isaya Dolson Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Murder

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Friday, September 28, 2018, three defendants, who are all alleged to be members of a Middletown gang calling itself “Coke Wave”, pleaded guilty before Orange County Court Judge William DeProspo to felony charges, in connection with August 17, 2017, shooting death of Coree White in the City of Middletown. Tramel Morman, a/k/a “Biggs,” a/k/a “Splash,” age 25, of Middletown, pleaded guilty to Murder in the Second Degree. Juwan Dolson, a/k/a “La Capone,” a/k/a “Wanny,” age 21, of Middletown pleaded guilty to Attempted Murder in the Second Degree. Isaya Dolson, a/k/a “Dolo,” age 23, of Middletown, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy in the Second Degree, for conspiring with Morman and Juwan Dolson to murder Coree White. The indictment alleged that Tramel Morman, Juwan Dolson, Isaya Dolson, and others, were members of “Coke Wave”, a gang which sold narcotics, illegally possessed firearms, and committed violent acts against rival groups, including Guap Gang, and that White was shot and killed in furtherance of Coke Wave members’ conspiracy to sell narcotics.

During the investigation into the shooting death of Coree White, the City of Middletown Police Department and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, aided by the New York State Police, including its Community Narcotics Enforcement Team (“CNET”); special agents from the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Group, commenced an investigation into whether Coke Wave was trafficking narcotics in the Linden Avenue area of Middletown and using force and intimidation to keep rival groups from selling narcotics in the area.

On August 21, 2018, law enforcement officials announced that thirteen individuals alleged to be members or associates of “Coke Wave” had been arrested and charged with crimes ranging from murder, to narcotics sales, to conspiracy, in an enforcement action dubbed “Operation Wipeout.”

Tramel Morman is scheduled to be sentenced on November 8, 2018. The District Attorney office stated that it would be recommending that he be sentenced to eighteen years to life in state prison. Juwan Dolson is scheduled to be sentenced on November 13, 2018. The District Attorney office stated that it would be recommending that he be sentenced to ten years in state prison, and five years post-release supervision. Isaya Dolson is scheduled to be sentenced on November 21, 2018. The District Attorney office stated that it would be recommending that he be sentenced to six to nine years in state prison.

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the City of Middletown Police Department and the New York State Police for their investigation of murder case and for the defendants’ arrest.

“The murder of Coree White is further proof that where there is organized narcotics dealing, gun violence inevitably follows,” said District Attorney Hoovler. “I commend the City of Middletown Police Department for their investigation of this case and for recognizing the connection between violence and organized narcotics activity. I thank the White family for their patience as this investigation and prosecution continued. No criminal conviction or sentence can ever compensate for the loss of a loved one, but I hope today’s pleas of guilty brings some measure of closure to the victim’s family. Violent street gangs hoping to profit from the devastation that narcotics are already wreaking on our communities must be combated at every level. It is only through the coordinated efforts of various law enforcement agencies can we stem the rise of narcotics gangs.”

District Attorney Hoovler highly commended Senior Assistant District Attorney Kerry Kolek, who prosecuted the murder case.

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 of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.