Orange County News
For Immediate Release
Monday, August 1, 2016
Contact: Christopher Borek
845.291.3276, 845.238.4245c
District Attorney Hoovler Announces Indictments in
Heroin Distribution Conspiracy Case
24 Defendants Charged in Connection with Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin
“Operation Punch-Out” Targeted Major Narcotics Distribution Organization in
City of Newburgh and Surrounding Areas
Charges Include Operating as a Major Trafficker and Criminal Sale of a
Controlled Substance in the Second Degree
Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced on Monday, August 1, 2016, that
an Orange County grand jury has indicted twenty-four defendants in connection with the
“Operation Punch-Out” enforcement action that occurred in the City of Newburgh on June 7,
2016. All of the defendants are charged with felonies relating to a conspiracy to distribute heroin
in the City of Newburgh and surrounding areas.
The sixty-eight count indictment alleges that Earl Melvin, a/k/a “Bugs,” 36, of Newburgh, was
the director of a controlled substance organization that distributed heroin within the City of
Newburgh and surrounding areas from at least June 7, 2015, through June 7, 2016, and that the
proceeds of those heroin sales totaled at least $75,000. The indictment charges Melvin with the
Class A-I felony of Operating as a Major Trafficker, the Class A-II felony of Criminal Sale of
Controlled Substance in the Second Degree, the Class B felony of Conspiracy in the Second
Degree, as well as to other charges. The indictment alleges that Melvin had at least twenty
people working under him. Most of the named co-conspirators are alleged to have aided in the
conspiracy by distributing the heroin on the streets of Newburgh. The indictment also alleges
that it was the role of two of the co-conspirators, Ray Rivera and Angel Rodriquez, to supply
heroin for the other co-conspirators to sell. Melvin is also charged with the Class A-II felony of
Criminal Sale of Controlled Substance in the Second Degree, for selling over one-half ounce of
heroin with Shawntel Chritian, A/K/A “Sloth,” in the City of Newburgh, on May 3, 2016.
Melvin is also charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree for
possessing a Highpoint semiautomatic pistol.
Ray Rivera, 49, of Newburgh, the owner of the Newburgh Boxing Club, is charged with
Conspiracy in the Second Degree and two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled
Substance in the Third Degree. The indictment alleges that it was Rivera’s role in the conspiracy
to supply heroin for Melvin’s drug distribution organization to sell on the street. Christian
Tejada, 32, of Howard Beach, Queens, is charged with Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance
in the Second Degree and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree,
for having sold 850 decks of heroin to Rivera inside Rivera’s boxing gym. Tejada is the only
defendant named in the indictment who is not alleged to be part of Melvin’s controlled substance
organization.
On June 7, 2016, as a result of a ten-month-long narcotics investigation, which included the use
of wiretaps and other electronic surveillance, members of the New York State Police Community
Narcotics Enforcement Team (“CNET”), in conjunction with the City of Newburgh Police
Department and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, executed multiple search warrants
and made over twenty arrests. Law enforcement officials recovered more than 56 grams of
unpackaged heroin, over 1,000 individual packages of heroin, 28 grams of cocaine, over $8,000
in U.S. currency, scales, packaging material, cutting agents, and a loaded .45 caliber Highpoint
pistol. The street value of the narcotics seized is over $18,000. The investigation included the use
of electronic surveillance, including wiretaps.
The results of the investigation were presented to an Orange County grand jury, which had been
specially empanelled at the request of District Attorney Hoovler to handle two major narcotics
investigations. Those charged in this enforcement action include:
Name
Earl Melvin,
A/K/A “Bugs”
Age
Residence
Prior
Felony
Yes
Raymond Rivera
49
Newburgh
Angel
Rodriguez
William
Johnson, A/K/A
“Deon Johnson”
William D.
Johnson, Jr.
41
Bronx
Conspiracy in the Second Degree, Operating
as a Major Trafficker, Criminal Sale of a
Controlled Substance in the Second Degree,
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance
in the Third Degree (30 Counts), Criminal Sale
of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree
(27 Counts), Criminal Possession of a Weapon
in the Second Degree, and Criminal Possession
of a Weapon in the Third Degree
Conspiracy in the Second Degree and Criminal
Possession of a Controlled Substance in the
Third Degree (2 Counts)
Conspiracy in the Second Degree
Yes
39
Newburgh
Conspiracy in the Second Degree
21
Newburgh
Conspiracy in the Second Degree, Criminal
Sale of Controlled Substance in the Third
36
Newburgh
Charged With
Anthony White,
A/K/A/ “Scrap”
Jamal Jackson,
A/K/A
“Murder”
Angela Daniello
Shawntel
Chritian, A/K/A/
“Sloth”
35
Newburgh
Degree, and Criminal Possession of a
Controlled Substance in the Third Degree
Conspiracy in the Second Degree
32
Newburgh
Conspiracy in the Second Degree
28
40
Newburgh
Newburgh
Eban Carrion
Boice Wheeler
Keith Ford
46
60
60
Damien Garcia
45
Dadrian
Williams
26
Craig Caputo,
A/K/A “Skunk”
38
Lavar Ruffin
38
Dwayne
Mcgriff, A/K/A
“Smash”
47
Ginny Pavese
30
Tatiana Code,
A/K/A “Tati”,
22
Conspiracy in the Second Degree
Conspiracy in the Second Degree, Criminal
Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second
Degree, Criminal Possession of a Controlled
Substance in the Third Degree (3 Counts), and
Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the
Third Degree (2 Counts)
Middletown Conspiracy in the Second Degree
Newburgh
Conspiracy in the Second Degree
Newburgh
Conspiracy in the Second Degree, Criminal
Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third
Degree, and Criminal Possession of a
Controlled Substance in the Third Degree
Newburgh
Conspiracy in the Second Degree, Criminal
Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third
Degree, and Criminal Possession of a
Controlled Substance in the Third Degree
Unknown
Conspiracy in the Second Degree, Criminal
Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third
Degree, and Criminal Possession of a
Controlled Substance in the Third Degree
Newburgh
Conspiracy in the Second Degree, Criminal
Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third
Degree, and Criminal Possession of a
Controlled Substance in the Third Degree
Newburgh
Conspiracy in the Second Degree, Criminal
Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third
Degree, and Criminal Possession of a
Controlled Substance in the Third Degree
Newburgh
Conspiracy in the Second Degree, Criminal
Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third
Degree, and Criminal Possession of a
Controlled Substance in the Third Degree
Unknown
Conspiracy in the Second Degree, Criminal
Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third
Degree, and Criminal Possession of a
Controlled Substance in the Third Degree
Newburgh
Conspiracy in the Second Degree, Criminal
Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third
Yes
Yes
Yes
Degree (4 Counts), and Criminal Possession of
a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree (4
Counts)
Jamel Johnson
20
Newburgh
Unknown
Conspiracy in the Second Degree, Criminal
Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third
Degree and Criminal Possession of a
Controlled Substance in the Third Degree
Conspiracy in the Second Degree
Wilbert Boykin,
A/K/A “Bezo”
Jermaine Mays
A/K/A
“Peachtree”
Whitney Lamb,
A/K/A
“Mercedes”
Christian Tejada
41
Yes
33
Newburgh
Conspiracy in the Second Degree
Yes
30
Newburgh
32
Howard
Beach,
Queens
Conspiracy in the Second Degree and Criminal
Possession of a Controlled Substance in the
Third Degree (2 Counts)
Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the
Second Degree and Criminal Possession of a
Controlled Substance in the Third Degree
The maximum sentence for the Class A-I felony of Operating as a Major Trafficker is 25 years to
life in state prison.
The maximum sentence for the Class A-II felony of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in
the Second Degree is 10 years in state prison, and 14 years if the offender has a prior felony
conviction within the last ten years.
The maximum sentence for the Class B felony Conspiracy in the Second Degree is 8 1/3 to 25
years in state prison, and 12 ½ to 25 years if the offender has a prior felony conviction within the
last ten years.
The maximum sentence for the Class B felonies of Criminal Sale Possession of a Controlled
Substance in the Third Degree and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third
Degree is nine years in state prison, and 12 years if the offender has a prior felony conviction
within the last ten years.
The maximum sentence for the Class C felony of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the
Second Degree is 15 years in state prison.
The maximum sentence for the Class D felony of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third
Degree is 3 ½ to 7 years in state prison.
District Attorney Hoovler thanked the New York State Police CNET and the City of Newburgh
Police Department for their efforts in this investigation. District Attorney Hoovler highly
commended CNET for their investigation, given the complexity of the case.
Assistant District Attorneys Neal Eriksen and Kerry Kolek assisted in the investigation of the
case and are prosecuting all of the defendants charged in the operation.
“This narcotics investigation, ‘Operation Punch-Out,’ and the recent ‘Operation Chopper’
narcotics investigation, demonstrate the prevalence and sophistication of narcotics trafficking
operations in Orange County,” said District Attorney Hoovler. “These organizations can only be
disrupted through the use of electronic surveillance, used in the context of long-term, multiagency investigations. Heroin, and other narcotics, are destroying the fabric of our society and
killing our residents, and must be fought at every level. It is no surprise that firearms were
recovered during the course of both of these operations, since narcotics trafficking frequently
leads to violence. It is particularly disappointing when it is discovered that respected community
figures, who could have served as role models, succumb to the allure of quick narcotics profits.
Organized criminal activity, especially that involving illegal weapons, presents the public and
law enforcement with additional challenges and concerns, and it simply cannot be tolerated. My
office will continue to use every tool at our disposal, including the use of wiretaps, civil
forfeiture actions, and criminal statutes that have never been charged before in Orange County,
to combat the illicit narcotics trade and all types of organized criminal activity.”
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’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
###
MAJOR DAVID KRAUSE,
DAVID M. HOOVLER,
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
DANIEL CAMEROn,
DETAIL COMMANDER
CNET
Chief of Police
EARL MELVIN
ANGELA DANIELLO
ANGEL
OPERATING AS A
MAJOR TRAFFICKER, CSCS 2, CPCS 3,
CONSPIRACY 2ND
RODRIGUEZ JR
ANTONY SCRAP
WHITE
CONSPIRACY 2ND
CONSPIRACY 2ND
BOICE WHEELER
CRAIG CAPUTO
CONSPIRACY 2ND CONSPIRACY 2ND,
CSCS 3, CPCS 3
GINNY PAVESE
WANTED
CPW 2, CPW 3
SHAWNTEL
DA DRAIN
WILLIAM D.
EBAN CARRION
KEITH FORD
DAMIEN GARICA
WILBERT BOYKIN
CHRITIAN
WILIAMS
JOHNSON
WANTED
CONSPIRACY 2ND,
CSCS 3, CPCS 3
CONSPIRACY
2ND, CSCS 3,
CPCS 3
CONSPIRACY 2ND,
CSCS 3, CPCS 3
WANTED
CONSPIRACY 2ND,
CSCS 2, CSCS 3,
CPCS 3
CONSPIRACY
2ND
JERMAINE MAYS
RAYMOND RIVERA
LAVAR RUFFIN
CONSPIRACY 2ND
CONSPIRACY 2ND, CONSPIRACY 2ND,
CPCS 3
CSCS 3, CPCS 3
JAMEL JOHNSON
CONSPIRACY 2ND,
CSCS 3, CPCS 3
JAMEL “MURDER”
JACKSON
CONSPIRACY 2ND
TAJIANA CODE
WHITNEY LAMB
WILLIAM “DEON”
CONSPIRACY 2ND,
CSCS 3, CPCS 3
CPCS 3RD
JOHNSON
CONSPIRACY 2ND
CHRISTIAN TEJADA DWAYNE MCGRIFF
CSCS 2,
CONSPIRACY 2ND
CONSPIRACY 2ND,
CSCS 3, CPCS 3