FBI: Street In The Hudson Valley Became An Open-Air Drug Market

Eight people are facing federal drug charges after prosecutors say they ran an open-air crack cocaine market in the Hudson Valley.

Federal prosecutors just unsealed an indictment regarding this case

Eight People Charged In Federal Crack Cocaine Conspiracy

Officials allege eight people ran a crack cocaine distribution operation on West Parmenter Street in Newburgh. The investigation was led by the FBI Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force.

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It was a case built on more than 60 controlled drug purchases and months of surveillance video showing dozens of hand-to-hand transactions happening in broad daylight.

Turned A Newburgh Street Into An Open-Air Drug Market

According to the indictment, the conspiracy ran from 2025 through October 2026.

The eight defendants and their street names are Maurice Owens, known as "Mo Nice," 48, of Rock Tavern; Shaka Eggleston, known as "Shak," 28, of Newburgh; Troy Smith, known as "Castro," 57, of Cornwall; Robert Morganfield, known as "MJ," 57, of Newburgh; Houston Brown, known as "Euro," 31, of New Windsor; Walter Herring, known as "Noodles," 45, of Newburgh; Jason Lowe, known as "Boogie," 39, of Newburgh; and James Tyrone Hayes, known as "Country," 56, of Newburgh.

Investigators say all eight defendants were observed on surveillance video regularly conducting apparent drug transactions on West Parmenter Street, with members of the group sometimes completing dozens of sales in a single day.

Law enforcement conducted more than 60 controlled purchases of crack cocaine involving every defendant named in the indictment.

U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald called it an alleged open-air drug market that flooded the neighborhood with crack cocaine and conducted thousands of transactions in plain sight.

Newburgh Police Chief Brandon Rola said the city's detective division played a key role in the investigation and assisted in apprehending all eight targets.