TOWN OF WALLKILL – A search warrant at a Town of Wallkill Hotel on Thursday has resulted in two arrests and a large seizure of illegal drugs and associated paraphernalia. The raid was the result of a lengthy investigation conducted by the Port Jervis Police Department, assisted by the Town of Wallkill Police Department and the Orange County Drug Task Force.
35-year-old Sheldon Cooper, a Port Jervis resident, was arrested at Hampton Inn Hotel in Wallkill on Wednesday when a search warrant was executed at his guest room. Police, assisted by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Group seized six grams of Fentanyl, 10.7 grams of Cocaine, and 16 Suboxone strips. According to law enforcement officials, the raid also seized a digital scale, packaging materials commonly used for narcotics sales, $4,621 in cash, and approximately 34.5 grams of a substance commonly used as a cutting agent by those involved in narcotics sales.
Cooper also faces charges of Endangering the Welfare of a Child because a two-year-old child was in the room where the drugs were found. Another person in the room was taken into custody on a warrant issued by Pennsylvania authorities for failing to appear in court.
Cooper is being held at the Orange County Jail with no bail as a result of an alleged parole violation. He is next scheduled to appear in the Town of Wallkill Court in connection with the new charges on Thursday, July 15, 2021.
Port Jervis Police Chief William Worden said of the arrest, “We will continue to proactively investigate illicit narcotics activity in our community and work with our law enforcement partners to hold drug dealers accountable for their actions.” Worden’s department was assisted by the Town of Wallkill Police, led by Chief Robert Hertman. The Wallkill Chief said his department “remains steadfast in our two-prong approach to addressing the opioid epidemic. Under the first prong, our goal is to help those addicted to illegal narcotics through the Hope Not Handcuffs program. Nonetheless, under the second prong, we remain committed to arresting those who sell illegal dangerous narcotics in our community.”
“We have seen far too many overdose deaths due to fentanyl,” said District Attorney David Hoovler. “I commend the efforts of the Port Jervis Police Department, and the collaborative efforts of all the other law enforcement agencies who aided in this investigation and in this search warrant execution.” Addressing the deadly opioid seized, Hoovler added ” Fentanyl is a particularly lethal substance and the removal of 46 grams of that drug makes the community safer. While those who are addicted to drugs need and deserve our compassion and assistance, those who profit from selling these frequently lethal substances deserve punishment, particularly those who sell large quantities for profit.”
