State Police and Orange County District Attorney announce arrests in major narcotics trafficking case

On March 13, 2017, the New York State Police, the City of Newburgh Police Department, and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, executed 16 search warrant and arrested 34 individuals on felony charges as part of “Operation Family Ties”, a nine month long narcotics investigation.  The US Drug Enforcement Administration, the Town of New Windsor Police, the Town of Newburgh Police, the City of Port Jervis Police Department, and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance also aided in the execution of the search warrants.

The investigation targeted the distribution of heroin, cocaine, PCP and marijuana in the City of Newburgh, and several surrounding towns in Orange County, NY.  The investigation started in June of 2016, when the City of Newburgh Police Department and the New York State Police received information concerning illegal narcotics sales in the area of Carson Avenue in the City of Newburgh.

The investigation uncovered evidence that Lamont Williams Sr., 45, of Wallkill, and his son, Lamont Williams Jr.,  27, of Port Jervis, were operating a drug trafficking organization known as “Carson’s Casino”.  Lamont Williams Sr. and Lamont Williams Jr. employed numerous individuals, many of whom are family members, to sell powder cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin and PCP.

Further investigation also revealed evidence the Williams organization was being supplied with narcotics by another drug trafficking organization run by Ramon Rivera.

It is alleged that one of Ramon Rivera’s suppliers was Ruben Cruz of New Windsor.
Earnest Washington of the Bronx was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree and Conspiracy in the Second Degree, and was the supplier of PCP for the Williams’ organization.
Evidence recovered during the execution of the search warrants included 521.5 grams of cocaine, 43.91 grams of heroin, 8.21 pounds of marijuana, five ounces of  PCP, $111,056 in cash, a stolen .45 caliber pistol, and a 12 gauge shotgun.

Those charged in this enforcement action include:

The following individuals have been charged with the following crimes, and have not been arrested.  State Police and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office is asking for the public’s cooperation in obtaining information concerning their location: