2 Indicted In Mid-Hudson Narcotics Conspiracy

MIDDLETOWN, NY — Two people accused of conspiring to sell narcotics in the mid-Hudson Valley were indicted Tuesday.

Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said the indictments were for Michael Rodriquez, 48, of Yonkers, and Angelica Rodriguez, aka “Jelly,” 39, of Middletown, and were the result of a two-year-long narcotics investigation that used court-ordered eavesdropping.

Michael Rodriquez was charged Tuesday with first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree conspiracy and fourth-degree conspiracy, felonies.

Angelica Rodriguez, who is not believed to be related to Michael Rodriquez, was charged Tuesday with two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree conspiracy and fourth-degree conspiracy, felonies.

Michael Rodriquez is the director of Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence, a prominent anti-violence program that receives government money and works in the Bronx to promote safe streets.

He was sent back to Orange County Jail without bail and is next scheduled to appear in court for a conference Monday.

Angelica Rodriguez was held in lieu of $100,000 bail, $500,000 fully secured bond or $750,000 partially secured bond. She is also scheduled for a court conference Monday.

A search warrant executed July 26 at Rodriguez’s Yonkers residence resulted in seizing the cocaine and cash, as well as a money counter an unlicensed Ruger .380 caliber pistol, an unlicensed Bond Arms .357 caliber handgun, a vacuum sealer, digital scales and jewelry estimated to have a value of about $50,000.

Police said Michael Rodriquez regularly supplied cocaine to Angelica Rodriguez, who would sell it in and around Middletown, police said.

After conventional investigative means failed to come up with evidence of narcotics conspiracy involving Angelica Rodriguez, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office applied for and was granted court-ordered eavesdropping.

It was discovered that the same suppliers of cocaine who were providing her and her co-conspirators with cocaine to sell, authorities said, were also supplying narcotics to those in Port Jervis.

During a traffic stop July 14, Angelica Rodriguez was found with 36 grams of cocaine, and a search warrant for a storage unit yielded a loaded Smith and Wesson .380 caliber pistol, cutting agents and a scale commonly used for processing cocaine, according to authorities.

Police said the pistol had been previously reported as stolen.

Hoovler said his office would continue to pursue drug dealers and utilize all resources available to bring them to justice.

“It is unconscionable that the director of a respected program which has pledged to reduce gun violence and help at-risk youth would himself allegedly choose to become a major drug dealer and commit weapons offenses,” he said.