11 Arrests in Home-Based Heroin Ring: Rockland County DA

NEW CITY, NY— Eleven people have been arrested in what Rockland County officials are calling a large-scale heroin trafficking operation based in Haverstraw. The ring allegedly sold several heroin brands, including “True Religion,” “Sexy Lady,” and “Pitbull.”

“The indictments describe a tightly-knit narcotics ring operating from private homes in Haverstraw and West Haverstraw that catered almost exclusively to drug buyers in Rockland County," said Acting Rockland County District Attorney Kevin Gilleece. "The criminals who push this deadly poison in our neighborhoods - motivated only by profit -devastate our community and feed the disease of addiction, which has touched all of us.”

The investigation dubbed “Operation True Lady” began in June when detectives assigned to the Rockland County Drug Task Force received information regarding a sweeping heroin network allegedly led by Santos Alvarado of West Haverstraw.

Detectives quickly developed information that led to Alvarado’s customers, source of supply and methods of distribution, prosecutors allege. They said he was using his home, 91 Blauvelt Ave., as a base of operations from which he sold heroin to customers.

Two of his alleged suppliers were identified as Ramon Dejesus, 54, of 52 Westside Avenue, Unit #2, Haverstraw; and Ernest Camacho, 41, of 203 Route 9W, Haverstraw. Both Dejesus and Camacho also used their homes as their bases of operations, prosecutors said.

Dejesus’ and Camacho’s source of supply was identified as Elio Duarte, 60, of 7 Wargo
Court, West Haverstraw. Police said Duarte used both public transit and private transportation to travel to the homes of Dejesus and Camacho to re-supply the two with heroin.

On Dec. 14, 2018, Duarte was arrested in a vehicle stop in Haverstraw, along with his wife Jeanette Toribio, 55, of the Dominican Republic and daughter Yanery Martinez, 35, of Paterson, New Jersey. All three were occupants in Martinez’ Toyota Highlander, from which the Rockland County Drug Task Force and Haverstraw police said they recovered more than three pounds of heroin.

Detectives also recovered an additional 2 1/2 kilograms of heroin, $23,210 in cash and other drug
paraphernalia.

Besides ringleader Alvarado, 42, prosecutors named other alleged customers of Dejesus and Camacho who re-sold heroin: Pedro Lopez, Alan Jones, Jerry Ramirez, Brian Moore and Jose Candelario.

The defendants - who range in age from 23 to 60 - are variously charged with first, second- and third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, first, second and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, fourth-degree conspiracy and related counts.

The top count in the indictment carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in state prison.

Gilleece was joined by Town of Haverstraw Police Chief Peter Murphy and Rockland County Executive Ed Day to make the announcement.

“I applaud the efforts of the District Attorney’s Office, the Town of Haverstraw Police Department and the County Drug Task Force in getting these dangerous drugs off the streets of our communities. Their efforts are a critical part of the comprehensive approach we are taking here in Rockland to combat this epidemic. We will continue to approach this problem from every angle and will not allow those who caused it to escape justice,” Day said.

The investigation was conducted by the Haverstraw Police Department, the FBI and the Rockland County Drug Task Force.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Michael Dugandzic.