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New York State Attorney General Letitia James announced the successful dismantling of a drug trafficking ring operating in the Hudson Valley region. The ring was responsible for distributing cocaine, counterfeit oxycodone pills, and powder fentanyl in Orange, Ulster, and Dutchess counties. The operation, which ran from December 2023 until November 2024, involved seven individuals who now face multiple felony charges.
The investigation, led by the Office of the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) and the New York State Police, resulted in a 155-count indictment against the suspects. The defendants include Shamique Delaine, Jonte Hatcher, Romell Hearn, Nicole Kane, Daquan Killian, Dwan Scafe, and Damian Cunningham. The charges range from conspiracy and trafficking to criminal possession of a weapon.
During the investigation, authorities seized over 10,500 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, more than eight kilograms of cocaine, three firearms, and $14,000 in cash. The operation involved extensive surveillance, wiretapping, and analysis of electronic communications. Attorney General James emphasized the threat posed by counterfeit opioids containing fentanyl, stating, "Our investigation dismantled a drug trafficking network that was responsible for moving massive quantities of dangerous narcotics throughout the Hudson Valley."
The takedown is part of the Attorney General’s Suburban and Upstate Response to the Growing Epidemic (SURGE) Initiative, which has removed 980 alleged traffickers from the streets since 2017. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty, and the case will be prosecuted by OCTF Assistant Deputy Attorneys General Griffin Kenyon and James Cudden.