MILLBROOK -- Thirteen people -- including the chief of a local fire department and the owners of two Poughkeepsie entertainment companies -- were arrested in connection with what authorities described as a regional drug ring that may have supplied millions of dollars worth of cocaine to local dealers.
The 13 alleged suppliers were charged Tuesday with possession and conspiracy with intent to distribute narcotics. They will be tried in federal court. State police, the FBI and the Dutchess County District Attorney's Office announced the arrests at Troop K headquarters Tuesday morning. Twelve of the suspects were arraigned Tuesday afternoon, and police are looking for the 13th.
Among those arrested:
- Todd Paulin, chief of the Chelsea Ridge Fire Department in Wappinger and a fireman at the Castle Point Veteran's Administration firehouse in Chelsea.
- Anthony Garcia and Donald Radogna, owners of Big Boy Enterprises and Underworld Records of Poughkeepsie.
More than seven pounds of cocaine with a street value of more than $500,000, five handguns, $177,000 in cash and 10 cars and trucks were seized after state police and the FBI executed 11 search warrants in the suspects' homes and cars, state police Maj. John McCabe said. Some of the seized vehicles were parked outside of state police headquarters, including two Cadillac Escalade sport utility vehicles.
Authorities said they expect a measurable impact on cocaine sales in Dutchess County and the surrounding area.
''We're talking about dealers who have had a major influence in this county with regard to narcotics trafficking,'' Dutchess County District Attorney William Grady said.
Grady said the decision to collaborate with federal authorities was made ''due to the very restrictive rules of evidence in conspiratorial cases.''
The suspects would have faced sentences of one to three years if convicted under local jurisdiction, Grady said. If convicted in federal court, the men could each face a minimum of 10 years in prison.
State police Lt. James Boylan said search warrants were executed in Dutchess, Westchester and Orange counties, where the supplies changed hands and were passed off to lower-level dealers.
Authorities said it was ''difficult to tell'' how long the drug ring had been operating, but they did venture an estimate of its size.
Millions in sales likely
''We feel they were doing four to five kilos a week,'' Boylan said. Five kilograms is the equivalent to 11 pounds of cocaine, which could net more than $1 million on the street. Police said distributors typically don't make that much since they supply dealers at wholesale prices, not customers at street value.
The indictment from the Southern District court describes a Feb. 26 transaction in which Thomas Victoria allegedly met Omar Victoria on Route 9 and handed him about two kilograms, or more than four pounds, of cocaine. Both men, who live in Beacon, were among the 13 arrested Tuesday. It wasn't clear if they are related.
Underworld unresponsive
Officials at the Castle Point VA firehouse could not be reached for comment about Paulin, and a man who answered the phone there declined to comment. Several calls to Underworld Records in Poughkeepsie were not returned.
Police said Garcia, a co-owner of the record label, has previously been convicted on felony drug charges. The Web site for Garcia's hip-hop label features a randomized background with artists posing in simulated mug shots with names like ''Jimmy Conway,'' ''Boogs'' and ''Tony Soprano.''
Grady and the state police declined to go into specifics about Paulin's involvement in the drug ring, but the indictment details two telephone calls -- one in November and another in February -- in which Paulin allegedly discussed ''vehicles (the drug ring) believed were being used by law enforcement officers.''
Several other telephone conversations between alleged members of the drug ring focused on the planning of transactions and the amounts of money returned on drug sales, according to the indictment.
Also arrested were Christopher Cahill, Edmund Adams and William Valentin, all of Poughkeepsie; Oscar Valentin Jr., Hector Munoz and Dana Verdile, of Beacon; Matthew Rodelli, of Milton; and Raymond Mianti, of Wappingers Falls.
The investigation is continuing and police said more arrests may be made.
Poughkeepsie Journal reprinted with permission Copyright 2003
