District Attorney Hoovler Announces 16 to Life Sentence for Major Drug Trafficker
Antonio Perez-Molina Previously Pled Guilty During Jury Trial
Case is 14th Major Trafficker Prosecution by OCDA
Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Friday, March 29, 2024, Antonio Perez-Molina, 42, of Otisville, was sentenced in Orange County Court sixteen (16) years to life in prison relative to his previous guilty plea to Operating as a Major Trafficker. The plea was entered after a jury trial in the matter had commenced.
The charges against Perez-Molina and numerous other co-defendants stemmed from a long-term drug sale and possession operation. On August 18, 2021, the New York State Police Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (VGNET), in conjunction with the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut State’s Attorney Office, and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, conducted an enforcement action, dubbed “Operation Off the Brick,” involving the trafficking of cocaine in Orange County and Connecticut. Search warrants were executed at several locations: the Village of Otisville, the City of Middletown, the Town of Blooming Grove, and the Ulster County Hamlet of Kerhonksen. In addition, the Connecticut State Police executed search warrants on August 5, 2021, and August 18, 2021.
During the execution of the search warrants, police seized over 1,100 grams of cocaine, three loaded handguns, one shotgun, and approximately $70,000 in United States currency.
At the plea proceedings, Perez-Molina admitted that he acted as a director of a controlled substance organization during a period of twelve months or less, during which period such controlled substance organization sold cocaine, and the proceeds collected or due from such sale or sales had a total aggregate value of seventy-five thousand dollars or more.
District Attorney Hoovler thanked the New York State PoliceVGNET; the Connecticut State Police Statewide Narcotics Task Force, Northwest Field Office; the Connecticut State’sAttorney’s Office; the City of Waterbury Police Department Vice and Intelligence Unit; and the City of Waterbury Police Department Gangs Task Force, for their assistance in the investigation of the case.
“The significant sentence imposed today underscores the deadly toll of drugs in our communities, which is driven by the greed of major drug traffickers,” said District Attorney Hoovler.“Upending major narcotics operations is a keystone priority of my Office. Our results speak for themselves on these matters. We have dedicated countless time and resources to these cases,and we are ready, willing and able to try these matters to verdictwhen necessary.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Alexis Gregory and Senior Assistant District Attorney Christopher Kelly.
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.