Following a nearly two-year two-state investigation 14 people were arrested for allegedly bringing nearly 1,000 bags of heroin into the Hudson Valley every three days.

On Friday, the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team (URGENT) announced they arrested 14 people after an 18-month investigation into a heroin distribution ring that stretched from New Jersey and into Ulster and Delaware Counties.

In March of 2016, URGENT opened an investigation into Courtney Williamson, 25, of New Jersey, who was allegedly directing the transportation of drugs into Ulster and Delaware Counties.

Williamson hired multiple people from Ulster County to transport and sell heroin from New Jersey into Ulster and Delaware Counties, police say.

Williamson is accused of bringing 800 to 1,000 bags of heroin into Ulster County every three days. She was arrested in April.

Over the course of the investigation and the months following Williamson’s arrest, the following people were arrested by URGENT:

  • John V. Judson, 27, of Kingston for four-counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance and four counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was previously arrested on an indictment warrant issued by the Ulster County Court and remanded to the Ulster County Jail without bail.
  • Jon M. Hutton, 22, of Rosendale for three-counts criminal sale of a controlled substance and three-counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance He was incarcerated in state prison for an unrelated incident at the time. He was later arraigned in Ulster County Court on these charges and returned to the state prison.
  • Michael E. McCallion, 32, of Olive for two-counts criminal sale of a controlled substance and two-counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance). He was previously arraigned in the City of Kingston Court and remanded to the Ulster County Jail without bail.
  • Maria I. Otero, 25, of Kingston for criminal possession of a controlled substance. She was previously arraigned in the Town of Olive Justice Court and was remanded to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $25,000 cash bail or $50,000 secured bond.
  • Angelo Romanelli, 25, of Kingston for two-counts criminal sale of a controlled substance, four-counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance and endangering the welfare of a child. He was previously arraigned in the Town of Hurley Justice Court and remanded to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 secured bond.
  • Shaelyn A. Every, 22, of Kingston for two-counts criminal possession of a controlled, conspiracy and endangering the welfare of a child. She was previously arraigned in the Town of Hurley Justice Court and remanded to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 secured bond.
  • Christopher R. Blagbrough, 27 of Kingston for two-counts criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminally possessing a hypodermic instrument. He was previously arraigned in Town of Ulster Justice Court and remanded to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $50,000 cash bail or $75,000 secured bond.
  • Akeem Smith, 33, of Freeport for two-counts criminal possession of a controlled, conspiracy and endangering the welfare of a child. He was previously arraigned in the Town of Hurley Justice Court and remanded to the Ulster County Jail without bail.
  • Chuck J. Fronckowiak, 35, of Fleischmanns for two counts criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree. He was previously arraigned in the Town of Middletown Justice Court and remanded to the Delaware County Jail in lieu of $50,000 cash bail or $100,000 secured bond.
  • Timothy D. Crowley, 21, of Kingston for criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal sale of a controlled substance. He was previously arraigned in the City of Kingston Court and released to reappear on a later date.
  • Psoma M. Chinn, 39, of Brooklyn, for criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was previously released on an appearance ticket to appear in the Town of Olive Justice Court on a later date.
  • Lyithbrandon K. Gill, 24, of New York City, for reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, unlawfully fleeing a police officer and criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was previously arraigned in the Town of Rosendale Justice Court and remanded to the Ulster County Jail without bail.

URGENT worked closely with and were assisted by the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit, United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations, The Ulster County District Attorney’s Office, City of Kingston Police Special Investigations Unit, New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Town of Olive Police, Town of Shandaken Police, NYPD Narcotics Unit (Queens) and the New Jersey State Police.

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