Rivera
GOSHEN – The owner of the Newburgh Boxing Club pled guilty on Monday
to being one of the main suppliers of heroin to a drug trafficking organization
in the City of Newburgh.
At the time of his plea, Raymond Rivera, 49, admitted to Orange County Court Judge Craig Stephen Brown that he conspired to sell more than a half ounce of heroin, which he knew was going to be sold on the streets of Newburgh.
Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said it was a sad day for Newburgh.
“Mr. Rivera broke the hearts of a lot of children who looked up to him,” the DA said. “He bamboozled many leaders in Newburgh convincing them that he was doing all these things for the children and it turned out at the end of the day he was nothing more than a drug dealer wreaking havoc on the community.”
Rivera was one of several people arrested in June as part of the 10-month investigation dubbed “Operation Punch-Out,” which included the use of wiretaps and other electronic surveillance.
When sentenced in September, Rivera faces five to 15 years in state prison.
