36 Charged In Tri-State Drug Bust Centered On Port Jervis

ORANGE COUNTY, NY — A four-month long investigation into narcotics trafficking in and around Port Jervis resulted in charges against 36 people from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced.

Three of the people accused of involvement are over 60 years old, but most are in their 30s and 40s.

The investigation, dubbed Operation Final Blow, was started by the Port Jervis Police Department, the Orange County Drug Task Force, the New York State Police Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team, the Pike County, Pennsylvania Criminal Investigations Division of the Pike County District Attorney’s Office, and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

"This enforcement action effectively dismantled a widespread criminal organization, from top to bottom, who collectively were responsible for the distribution of large quantities of narcotic drugs, and will have a significant impact on the safety and quality of life in the City of Port Jervis, Pike County and the great tri-state community," Port Jervis Police Chief William J. Worden said at a news conference.

It included the use of court-ordered eavesdropping, as well as the execution of 17 search warrants.

Those warrants resulted in the seizure of two kilograms of cocaine, 74 grams of heroin, 165 grams of fentanyl, 1,600 ecstasy pills and 235 pills containing oxycodone, as well as seven illegally possessed firearms and $153,690. Eleven automobiles, four motorcycles and two ATVs were also taken into evidence, police said.

"The amount of narcotics being trafficked in western Orange County and the surrounding areas is simply staggering," Hoovler said.

The investigation included controlled narcotic purchases. Three of those charged in the operation — Wayne Smith, 42, of Deerpark, Joseph Bruno, 43, of Port Jervis, and Christian Shomo, 33, of Mount Hope — are charged in Orange County with Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, for having sold over four ounces of cocaine on Sept. 7. Jose Parra, 61, of Port Washington, New York, is also charged with Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, in Orange County, for selling over four ounces of cocaine on Aug. 14. Those four each face up to 20 years in state prison on those charges.

Following the execution of a search warrant at her residence, Tyara Porter, 47, of Monticello, was charged in Sullivan County with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree, for possessing over four ounces of fentanyl. She is also charged in Orange County with crimes including Conspiracy in the Second Degree.

Andrew Mitchell was charged in Sussex County, New Jersey with the crimes of Maintaining/Operating a Controlled Dangerous Substance Production Facility, Controlled Dangerous Substance Manufacturing/Distributing/Possession, Possession of a Firearm, and Money Laundering.

Also, 27 people were charged with the class B felony of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, for having agreed to engage in or cause the performance of conduct constituting the class A felony of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree:

• Wayne Smith, 42, Deerpark, NY
• Joseph Bruno, 43, Port Jervis, NY
• Christian Shomo, 33 Mount Hope, NY
• Andrew Mitchell, 47, Vernon, NJ
• Raymond Hamilton, 43, Glen Spey, NY
• Jose Parra, 61, Port Washington, NY
• Thomas Bratton, 50, Middletown, NY
• Brian Stevenson, 45, Port Jervis, NY
• Gregory Luca, 38, Pike County, PA
• Ryan McCormick, 47, Glen Spey, NY
• Tyara Porter, 49, Monticello, NY
• Tyree Bolden, 44, Rock Hill, NY
• Brian Rossnagle, 36, Port Jervis, NY
• Daniel Scott, 41, Village of Chester, NY
• David Porter, 70, Port Jervis, NY
• Christine Ryan, 31, Pike County, PA
• Dennis Dunne, 36, Pike County, PA
• Gerald Harden, 43, Port Jervis, NY
• Jack Piscitelli, 24, Port Jervis, NY
• Kaylynne Doran, 33, Pike County, PA
• Kenneth Bruno, 68, Port Jervis, NY
• Michael Diana, 59, Port Jervis, NY
• Michael Gurliacci, 40, Port Jervis, NY
• Ronald Babcock, 28, Port Jervis, NY
• Trevone Waxter, 38, Port Jervis, NY
• Walter Finch, 43, Pike County, PA
• Ryan Platner, 36, Port Jervis, NY

Conspiracy in the Second Degree carries a maximum sentence of eight and one-third to 25 years in state prison if the defendant has had no prior felony conviction in the last 10 years, or a maximum sentence of 12 to 25 years in prison if the defendant has a prior felony conviction.

Police and prosecutors are requesting the public’s help in locating four others:

• Christopher Stubble, 38, Port Jervis, NY
• William Cummings, 38, Pike County, PA
• Kristie Hemion, 35, Port Jervis, NY
• Adam Russ, 49, Wurtsboro, NY

Law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation included the Orange County Sheriff's Office, Orange County District Attorney's Office, Port Jervis Police Department, Pike County District Attorney's Office, New York State Police, Pennsylvania State Police, New Jersey State Police, the Town of Deerpark Police Department, the City of Middletown Police Department, the Town of Wallkill Police Department, the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, the Sussex County Guns, Gang and Narcotics Taskforce, and the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office. Federal agencies who aided in the operation included Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI’s Safe Streets Taskforce and the United States Marshall’s Service Fugitive Task Force.

"It is only through the coordinated actions of various law enforcement agencies that we can stop those higher-level dealers who try to insulate themselves by only dealing in large amounts with other criminals who they know and trust," Hoovler said.