NEW CITY – A foreman at the Rockland County Highway Department,
accused of trafficking powder and crack cocaine in several towns and villages
during work hours, was arrested, District Attorney Thomas Zugibe announced
Monday.
On several occasions over the past 12 months, undercover members of the
Rockland County Drug Task Force observed Bernard Hughes III, 56, of West
Nyack using a county vehicle to transport and sell several grams of cocaine.
Hughes was indicted on August 9 by a federal grand jury charging 11 individuals
with trafficking in cocaine and crack cocaine in and around Rockland County.
It is alleged that Hughes was a low-level dealer in the drug trafficking
organization led by Jemel Goode of Congers.
According to the charges, Hughes conspired with a mid-level drug dealer
to transport and sell cocaine in Rockland. Other amounts of cocaine were
purchased by Hughes for his own use, authorities allege.
Hughes was arraigned and released on his own recognizance pending a
future court appearance.
If convicted, he faces up to seven years in state prison.
