GOSHEN – A 32-year-old Port Jervis man, Richard McInturff, was sentenced in Orange County Court on Wednesday to 17 to 19 years in state prison followed by five years of poste-release supervision in connection with his guilty plea to operating as a major drug trafficker, escape and attempted assault.
His father, Larry McInturff, 66, also of Port Jervis, was sentenced to a term of six months in the Orange County Jail and five years of probation in connection with his guilty plea to tamping with physical evidence.
On March 18, 2021, authorities executed a search warrant at Richard McInturff’s home in the City of Port Jervis. The warrant was part of an investigation into the illicit sales of heroin in that city.
Detectives recovered 7,892 packets of suspected heroin and a sale of the type used to weigh narcotics when they are being packaged for sale.
During the plea proceedings, Richard McInturff admitted that he possessed the almost 7,900 glassine envelopes of a powdery substance containing fentanyl/heroin, with intent to sell them, and that the value exceeded $75,000.
He also admitted to escaping from custody while at the Port Jervis Police Station on March 19, 2021, after having been charged with operating as a major trafficker.
In his plea, Larry McInturff admitted that on March 20, 2021, he was speaking with his son via phone while the son was in the Orange County Jail.
At his son’s direction, the father concealed a key ring with keys to an apartment that belonged to the son, while knowing it would be used as evidence in the trial against his son.
“The arrest, prosecution and sentence of this defendant serves as a major disruption to the deadly narcotics trade in western Orange County,” said District Attorney David Hoovler. “Drug dealers should take heed that law enforcement is laser focused on the battle against the scourge of opioids, particularly fentanyl, that are killing people every day.”
Participating in the investigation and arrest were the Port Jervis City Police Department, Orange County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Group, the Sussex County, New Jersey Prosecutor’s Office and Narcotics Task Force, and New Jersey State Police.
