KINGSTON – On Wednesday, June 15, New York State Attorney General Letitia “Tish” James announced the indictments of 12 individuals involved in a major drug trafficking and weapons bust. The indictment can be found here.
A joint investigation that began in June of 2021 was led by the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team (URGENT) and included the Dutchess County Drug Task Force, New York State Police Special Investigations Unit, and the Homeland Security Investigations – Hudson Valley Office.
Eleven of the suspects named in the indictments were taken into custody on Wednesday morning and processed in Ulster County. Attorney General James said the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) Assistant Deputy Attorney General Griffin Kenyon of the OAG Organized Crime Task Force. Additional prosecutors from the OAG will assist as well as a prosecutor from the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office.
Those charged in the drug-trafficking ring include the following:
- Christopher Pulichene, 39, of New Paltz. Described as the leader of the network.
- Ralph Banks Jr., 50, of Saugerties.
- Thomas Colon, 60, of Saugerties.
- Alton Countryman, 35, of Kingston.
- Thekla Countryman, 35, of Kingston.
- Robert Curry, 42, of Albany.
- Kevin Drake Jr., 32, of Kingston.
- Julia Eaton, 34, of Ganesvoort.
- Joshua Guldy, 21, of Kingston.
- Nicholas Lasusa, 31, of Saugerties.
- Zachary Vanvlack, 34, of Wappingers Falls.
- Devyn Wolny, 24, of New Paltz.
With changes to the way evidence is provided to defendants during discovery, Attorney General James told Mid-Hudson News that steps are being taken to comply with the discovery deadlines. “The state legislature has increased revenue to our office and we’re looking at adding staff to address the challenges related to discovery laws in the State of New York.”
Under the new discovery timelines packaged in the bail reform legislation, all evidence must be shared with defendants in custody within 20 days of their arrest. The defendants charged in the indictments are allowed to review all evidence against them. Prosecutors have the opportunity to make an application to the court for an extension of time if the evidence contains a substantial amount of documentation and recordings.
