2015 Nov 25 – Drug Arrest Announcement:

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler, Port Jervis Police Chief William Worden, Orange County Sheriff Carl E. DuBois, Town of Deerpark Police Chief Richard Sztyndor, City of Port Jervis Mayor Kelly B. Decker, Orange County Legislator Tom Faggione and County Executive Steven Neuhaus today announced arrests for illicit narcotics stemming from the execution of search warrants and car stops in a one month long operation.

Dashell Jordan Powlus, (18), of Port Jervis, was arrested on November 13, 2015, following the execution of a search warrant at his residence located at 31 First Street, Apartment 2, in the City of Port Jervis. Powlus was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree after being found to be in possession of more than two ounces of a substance that field tested positive of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (“LSD”), over 300 milligrams of a substance that field tested positive for Ketamine, a powerful animal tranquilizer that goes by the street name “Special K,” as well as thirty other bags that tested positive for heroin, and two prescription “films” of suboxone for which he did not have a prescription. A scale and $5,067 were also recovered from Powlus’ apartment. The Port Jervis Police had been investigating reports that Powlus was selling heroin and LSD from his apartment located at 31 First Street in Port Jervis. A Notice of Affirmative Grand Jury Action has been filed in the Port Jervis City Court, and Powlus will next appear in Orange County Court. The maximum sentence for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree is three to ten years in State Prison.

Tony Anthony Caperna, (30), of Greenville, was arrested on November 16, 2015, and charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, after Port Jervis Police Officers, and members of the Sheriff’s Special Operations Group and the Orange County Drug Task Force, executed a search warrant at his residence located at 393 Grahamtown Road, in the Town of Greenville. Police recovered 46 grams of cocaine, 324 glassine envelopes containing heroin, a digital scale and brass knuckles within the residence. Two rifles and ammunition were also recovered from the residence. Caperna is charged with possessing the controlled substances with intent to sell them. A Notice of Affirmative Grand Jury Action has been filed in the Port Jervis City Court, and Caperana will next appear in Orange County Court. If convicted, Caperna faces up to nine years in state prison.

Lance P. Conklin, (28), of Port Jervis, was arrested on November 17, 2015, after City of Port Jervis Police Officers and members of the Orange County Sheriff’s Special Operations Group executed a search warrant at his apartment located at 39 Church Street in Port Jervis. Conklin was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree after being found in possession of 78 glassine envelopes containing heroin and $1,676 in cash. Investigation revealed that Conklin would purchase the heroin in Patterson, New Jersey for $3 a bag and sell it in Port Jervis for $10 a bag, making a profit in excess of 230%. A Notice of Affirmative Grand Jury Action has been filed in the Port Jervis City Court and Conklin will next appear in Orange County Court. If convicted, Conklin faces up to nine years in state prison.

Norman William Kingston, (53), of Port Jervis, was arrested on November 11, 2015, following a traffic stop, and found to be in possession of both cocaine and heroin. The Town of Deerpark Police assisted the City of Port Jervis Police in making the arrest. Based on information learned during the investigation of the case, Kingston was charged with possessing those substances with intent to sell them. Kingston has been charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, and faces up to nine years in state prison if convicted. A Notice of Affirmative Grand Jury Action has been filed in the Port Jervis City Court, and Kingston will next appear in Orange County Court.
Zachary Gogolen, (35), of Matamoras, was indicted by an Orange County Grand Jury and charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree. Gogolen had been arrested by the Port Jervis Police on November 1, 2015, following a traffic stop and found to be in possession of ten “fat” glassine envelopes containing heroin and $366. A “fat” glassine contains approximately twice as much heroin as a normal glassine envelope. Gogolen is charged with possessing the heroin with intent to sell it, and is currently being held without bail. He is scheduled to appear in Orange county court on December 1, 2015. If convicted, Gogolen faces up to nine years in state prison.

Joseph A. Mann, (26), of Sparrowbush, was arrested by the Port Jervis Police Department on October 25, 2015, after being found to be in possession of 16 glassine envelopes containing heroin which had been stamped “Sharp Shooter,” as well as $1,292 in cash. Mann was also alleged to have sold heroin to an agent of the Port Jervis Police Department. On November 24, 2015, Mann pleaded guilty in Orange County Court to Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree, and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2016. In addition to the sentence on the criminal case, Mann has agreed to forfeiture of monies he obtained from selling narcotics.

District Attorney Hoovler credited the leadership that Chief Worden has shown in successfully bringing the community policing model to Port Jervis, and for the successes the City of Port Jervis Police Department has achieved so far in combating illicit drugs. Hoolver cited the cooperation between the Port Jervis Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Town of Deerpark Police Department and the Orange County Drug Task Force as model of how different law enforcement agencies can work together to combat drug trafficking.

“Illegal drugs continue to be the largest crime-driver in Orange County,” said District Attorney David Hoovler. “The weapons recovered in these narcotic raids underscore the relationship between drugs and violent crime. Drug dealers often possess the weapons to protect their illegal profits. The three recent overdose deaths, two in Port Jervis and one in Warwick, are a reminder of how dangerous these substances are. Effective narcotics enforcement is only possible when law enforcement agencies cooperate and share information. The close cooperation between the City of Port Jervis Police Department, the Sheriff’s Special Operations Group, the Town of Deerpark Police Department and the Orange county Drug Task force has resulted in $8,300 worth of dangerous drugs being taken off the street, as well as the apprehension of suspected drug dealers who were in possession of weapons. That this was done without injury to the police, those arrested, or innocent bystanders is a testament to the professionalism of these officers.”

“The Orange County Sheriff’s Office takes the heroin epidemic very seriously,” said Orange County Sheriff Carl E. DuBois. “My office will continue to dedicate whatever resources are needed to curb illegal drug trafficking. Whether it is dedicating resources to our Special Operations Group to aid in search warrant executions, or devoting resources to the Orange County Drug Task Force, our aim is to work in conjunction with any law enforcement agency in stopping this problem which is effecting far too many of our families and young people.”

“These arrests are due in large part to complaints from concerned citizens and the dedication of our detectives,” said Port Jervis Police Chief William Worden. “Hopefully these arrests will have a significant impact on the drug trade being conducted in Port Jervis. Heroin and crack-cocaine are destroying our communities. Our success in these operations would not have been possible if it were not for the cooperation we have received from other law enforcement agencies such as the Sheriff’s Special Operations Group, the Orange County Drug Task Force and the Town of Deerpark Police Department.”

The cases are being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorneys Lorri Goldberg and Matthew Healy, and Assistant District Attorney Neal Eriksen

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.

During the Press Conference, the mayor said the following:

On the day before the citizens of this great country celebrate the “Thanks” that we were given in an opportunity of freedom and prosperity by hard work and caring here in America, it is unfortunate that we have to stand before you today to discuss the degradation of a society with so much promise.

What you see in front of us today is an exorbitant amount of drugs that poison and kill the people who take them. You also see before you firearms aimed to destroy our livelihoods that are in the hands of those who plan to use them illegally.

As most people are aware, the city council of the City of Port Jervis is struggling with the possibility of a large increase in taxes for 2016. Many have suggested cuts and hiring freezes to keep this increase lower. Many have suggested that we stop what they call the exorbitant amount of money from salaries and benefits of our police officers who risk their lives every day and work to get this and other illegal activities off of our streets. I ask those same people today who are now aware of this long time investigatory arrest with others to come, should we? How much is too much for your safety?

All of us standing here today took an oath to uphold the laws of our community, state and nation. What you will hear about soon is the hard work of our police officers in Port Jervis risking their lives working to hold a lid on a pot that is boiling in every community in America, illicit drug sales, illicit drug use and the stock piling of weapons to use illegally.

Many talk about the poor community of Port Jervis. Just like every other community, there are poor people that truly need help in keeping their families together. Many successful people will tell you that education and hard work will give you success. Unfortunately as our society has turned to that of immediate gratification we see what is happening before us.

Drugs affect the way our mind and body work. People who take drugs have life problems. Those problems don’t simply go away with a hit but in reality the gratification only masks those problems. As the problems get worse, more will take the drugs. The sellers will convince others to take them and then simple Supply and Demand takes root. Some of the drugs you see before you are selling in little poor Port Jervis at a value of 200% more than they are sold elsewhere. Individuals in this city are spending the money, money that could be used to build our community not take it down. In addition 3 out of the 5 city arrests today are defendants that are not only seeking a quick buck and getting it but are also abusing the system that was laid out to help those truly poor hard working people. 60% of the suspects are on Social Services yet illegally selling drugs and firearms to those in our community. Where is the outrage now? The outrage should be over people who are cheating the system and I call on our county and state to clamp down hard and be relentless. These cheaters are the same people causing our tax system whether it is on a local, county, state or federal level to increase.

As mayor of the City of Port Jervis, I know our officers are doing a fantastic job. It shows before you. In fact, one of the suspects lived in Port Jervis, selling here, but decided to move outside the city because the police heat was too much. We will not let off. If you look at the ages of the suspects you will see a broad range of generations. Although I differ in opinion with some that feel rehabilitation is the answer. I will strongly say that we need to continue to take guns and drugs off our streets as a priority to avoid a society that is being created of walking dead.

Lastly, I want to sincerely thank our Police Chief William Worden and his officers for doing an upstanding job in keeping my family as well as the many law abiding families of Port Jervis safe both day and night.