Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler, Major James C. Michael of the NYS Police, City of Middletown Police Chief John Ewanciw, City of Newburgh Police Chief Arnold Amthor, and Orange County Sheriff Carl DuBois announces that 40 defendants have been indicted by an Orange County grand jury on crimes pertaining to the trafficking of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and prescription medications throughout Orange County.
The indictments are part of an enforcement action conducted by the Orange County Drug Task Force, the New York State Police, the City of Middletown Police, and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. The enforcement action primarily used undercover police officers to purchase narcotics and prescription medications. The countywide enforcement action, one of many since District Attorney Hoovler took office, was designed to help clean up neighborhoods throughout Orange County by targeting individuals trafficking narcotics.
Thirty-eight of the defendants were indicted by an Orange County grand jury and charged with crimes including Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, for selling narcotics, including cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, and fentanyl, to undercover police officers.
Two of the defendants were charged with Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree for having sold the prescription medication alprazolam to undercover police officers.
Among those defendants currently charged with the Class B felonies, Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree are Alberta Defreese, 66, Adrian Franqui, 23, and Cailin Shuback, 31, – all of Warwick.
Village of Florida resident Kim Frawley, 53, was among the defendants currently charged with the Class D felonies, Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree, and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree.
The crimes charged in the indictments stem from incidents which occurred from late Fall 2018 through May 2020. The illicit substances for which the defendants were charged were tested by the New York State Police Mid-Hudson Satellite Crime Laboratory. The laboratory testing of the substances, and restrictions occasioned by COVID-19, resulted in longer than normal times between the incidents charged and indictment in some of the cases.
The District Attorney’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance in determining if those involved in the sales of controlled substances have engaged in other sales. Since those engaged in the sale of controlled substances often are not known to their customers by name, photographs of the defendants are being released.
Forty defendants have been indicted by an Orange County grand jury on crimes pertaining to the trafficking of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, & prescription medications throughout Orange County.
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