Operation Hide in Plain Sight Nets Hudson Valley Drug Dealer

An Orange County woman confessed following "Operation Hide in Plain Sight."

On Monday, Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that a Middletown woman pleaded guilty to drug dealing.

Angelica “Jelly” Rodriguez Pled Guilty to Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and Conspiracy in the Second and Fourth Degrees

On Thursday, 39-year-old Angelica “Jelly” Rodriguez, of Middletown, pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree and two counts of conspiracy.

“High-level drug trafficking can only be interrupted by coordinated and cooperative efforts of law enforcement agencies who come together to fight the scourge of narcotics,” said District Attorney David M. Hoovler. “I commend the City of Middletown Police Department for their investigation and for working with the Orange County Drug Taskforce, and other law enforcement agencies such as the City of Port Jervis Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the New York State Police.

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Hoovler: Middletown Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty in “Operation Hide in Plain Sight” Narcotics Conspiracy Case

Rodriguez was arrested during Operation Hide In Plain Sight

The City of Middletown Police Department engaged in a two-year-long investigation into cocaine trafficking in and around the City of Middletown allegedly committed by Rodriguez.

Officials applied for court-ordered eavesdropping in the investigation after conventional investigative means failed to reveal evidence, officials say.

"During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that the same suppliers of cocaine who were providing Angelica Rodriguez and her co-conspirators with cocaine to sell, were also suppling narcotics to those in the City of Port Jervis," the OCDA's office stated in a press release.

On July 26, 2023, a search warrant, executed at Michael Rodriguez’s Yonkers residence, resulted in the seizure of over 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, $165,509 in cash, scales, a money counter, an unlicensed Ruger .380 caliber pistol, an unlicensed Bond Arms .357 caliber handgun, a vacuum sealer, digital scales and jewelry estimated to have a value of approximately $50,000, officials say.

Officials believe Rodriguez regularly supplied cocaine to Angelica Rodriguez, who would sell it in and around Middletown, and Taino Lopez who would sell it in and around Port Jervis.

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As part of her plea deal, Angelica Rodriguez is expected to be sentenced to 10 years in prison.

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"The significant sentence anticipated in this case should serve as a deterrent to others who seek to profit from selling drugs. My Office will continue to pursue drug dealers and utilize all resources available to us to bring them to justice," Hoovler added.