DA HOOVLER JOINS NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC T. SCHNEIDERMAN, SHERIFF CARL DUBOIS, ATF, AND THE CITY OF NEWBURGH POLICE DEPARTMENT, IN ANNOUNCING THE UNSEALING OF AN INDICTMENTS CHARGING 16 DEFENDANTS WITH NARCOTICS, AND FIREARMS OFFENSES IN CONNECTION WITH THE NEWBURGH STREET GANG KNOWN AS THE “600 GANG”

February 15, 2018

District Attorney’s Office Aided in Narcotics Investigation into Newburgh Street Gang

Investigation Conducted by the Orange County Drug Task Force, the City of Newburgh Police Department, the New York State Organized Crime Task Force, ATF,
and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office

Two Orange County Assistant District Attorneys Cross-Designated as Prosecutors
for New York State Organized Crime Task Force

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler joined New York State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, Sheriff Carl Dubois, ATF, and the City of Newburgh Police Department, in announcing the unsealing of an Indictment charging a total of 16 defendants with various conspiracy, narcotics, and firearms offenses in connection with a street gang known as the “600 Gang,” in Newburgh, New York.

A copy of the press release issued by the New York State Attorney’s Office pertaining to the indictments is attached.

The investigation into the main targets of the investigation, entitled “Operation Yellow Brick Road”, commenced in May 2016, when the Orange County Drug Task Force, in conjunction with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, began investigating allegations that Drug Trafficking Organization known as the “Untouchables” was selling heroin and fentanyl in the greater Newburgh area. It was determined that the New York State Organized Crime Task Force and the City of Newburgh Police Department, had instituted an investigation into some of the same individuals. All the law enforcement agencies, aided by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, commenced a joint investigation into all the individuals. Two Orange County Assistant District Attorneys were cross-designated by the New York State Organized Crime Task Force as prosecutors to aid in the investigation.

Some of the subjects of the investigation are already in custody as the result of prosecutions brought by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. One individual at the center of the alleged conspiracy, Frederick L. Blue, 21, of Newburgh, pleaded guilty on November 28, 2017, before Orange County Court Judge Craig Stephen Brown to the armed felony of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, for having possessed a loaded .380 semiautomatic pistol in the City of Newburgh on May 22, 2017. Pursuant to a plea agreement, which was placed on the record at the time Blue pleaded guilty, the Court stated that it would sentenced Blue to nine years in state prison and five years post-release supervision when he is sentenced on February 27, 2018. That case was prosecuted by Orange County Chief Assistant District Attorney Christopher Borek

Another individual, Damion Jackson, a/k/a “Toto,” a/k/a “Toe-Toe”, 36, of Newburgh was charged in two indictments, the first of which stemmed from his arrest for felony heroin possession in May of 2017, in the City of Newburgh. The second indictment charged the Jackson with six counts each of Criminal Sale of Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, for the sale and possession with intent to sell heroin and fentanyl. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office will be asking an Orange County Grand Jury to consider additional charges against Jackson. Those cases are pending in Orange County Court and are being prosecuted by Orange County Assistant District Attorney Neal Eriksen

“It is only through coordinated enforcement actions such as ‘Operation Yellow Brick Road’ 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,” said Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler. “I appreciate the efforts of the Attorney General’s Office, the City of Newburgh Police Department, the Orange County Drug Task Force, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, and of those on my staff who were cross-designated by the Organized Crime Task Force, in working collaboratively in making this operation a success. Although we have emphasized education and treatment as important avenues to keep people off drugs in the first place, given the increased lethal potency of illegal narcotics, we have also made it a priority to attack the supply of narcotics by vigorous enforcement actions against narcotics dealers. My office will continue to use every resource and tool at our disposal, including the use of wiretaps, civil forfeiture actions, and working with other law enforcement partners, to combat the illicit narcotics trade and all types of organized criminal activity.”
Sheriff Carl DuBois stated, “The current epidemic of overdose deaths related to opioid use cries out for operations such as this and collaborative efforts between law enforcement. The Orange County Drug Task Force and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office remain committed to working with all of law enforcement partners, both state and federal, in combatting the opioid epidemic. I thank all of the law enforcement officers of the City of Newburgh Police Department, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the New York State Attorney General’s Office, ATF, the Orange County Drug Task Force and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, who worked on this investigation.”
District Attorney Hoovler praised the Orange County Drug Task Force ATF, and the City of Newburgh Police Department, the Attorney General’s Office and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for their work on the 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.

/ In Crime & Punishment / Comments Off on DA HOOVLER JOINS NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC T. SCHNEIDERMAN, SHERIFF CARL DUBOIS, ATF, AND THE CITY OF NEWBURGH POLICE DEPARTMENT, IN ANNOUNCING THE UNSEALING OF AN INDICTMENTS CHARGING 16 DEFENDANTS WITH NARCOTICS, AND FIREARMS OFFENSES IN CONNECTION WITH THE NEWBURGH STREET GANG KNOWN AS THE “600 GANG”