Smith
MONTICELLO – A Fallsburg man was sentenced in Sullivan County Court by Judge Frank LaBuda to 35 years to life in state prison for convictions of conspiracy, criminal sale of a controlled substance, and a long list of other felonies.
The jury deliberated for about 30 minutes before rendering its verdict convicting Ronald Smith, 45, aka “Tubbs,” of all counts.
“Smith was the leader and proven kingpin of this organization and was responsible for distributing large quantities of the deadly drug heroin in our community,” said District Attorney James Farrell. “He was a merchant of despair, suffering, pain, addiction and death. With all the havoc heroin is wreaking on our community with overdose deaths, hospitalizations and addiction, this sentence was particularly appropriate.”
Smith was arrested on September 18, 2017, at his apartment in the Laurel Garden Apartments after a lengthy investigation by the New York State Police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team (CNET). The State Police narcotics unit was assisted in the investigation by the Fallsburg Police, the Sullivan County DA’s office, New York State Police BCI and uniform division at State Police Liberty barracks, Monticello Police, Liberty Police, Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, and the New Jersey State Police.
A search warrant on September 18, 2017, revealed Smith’s possession of over 20 bricks of heroin (1,000 bags) in the apartment and 31 bricks of heroin (1,550 bags) in a stash location in the Village of Liberty. During the investigation, State Police also purchased approximately 900 bags of heroin from a co-conspirator and accomplice.
Farrell said he was pleased with the court’s sentence. The DA urged the judge to find that Smith was a persistent felony offender (“three strikes law”) and enhance Smith’s sentence to life imprisonment given the seriousness of the crimes committed, Smith’s prior criminal record and the clear and present danger Smith poses to the community.
