Probe into drug sales leads to arrest
An Orange County man was jailed on felony drug charges after a months-long investigation by the Dutchess County Drug Task Force into fentanyl sales across the MidHudson Valley, authorities said.
Police said Friday they arrested Laquan Falls, 26, of Newburgh on Tuesday and charged him with criminal possession of a controlled substance (fentanyl) with intent to sell, a felony, after a three-month-long investigation into drug sales in Ulster, Dutchess and Orange
counties.
Authorities said
Falls was taken into custody by Dutchess County Drug Task
Force Agents and was found to be in possession of a significant quantity of fentanyl and other illegal drugs. Search warrants carried out in Ulster, Dutchess and Orange counties turned up additional narcotics, police said.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid believed to be 100 times more potent than morphine, according to authorities, adding that it can be lethal even in doses as small as two milligrams, authorities said. Illegal drugs like heroin are often contaminated with fentanyl, police said. Authorities have blamed a significant number of overdose deaths in Dutchess County on fentanyl use.
Falls was arraigned in Poughkeepsie City Court and was sent to the Dutchess County Jail. Falls also has a federal arrest warrant out for his arrest as a result of this investigation, police said.
The Dutchess County Drug Task Force was assisted by the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Probation, the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, city of Poughkeepsie Neighborhood Recovery Unit, Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, New York State Parole, city of Newburgh Police and town of Lloyd Police.
Police ask anyone with information about individuals selling drugs to email the confidential tip line at DrugTaskForceTips@ gmail.com or call (845) 4636040.