PORT JERVIS – A 37-year-old Deerpark man has been arrested on felony charges of criminal sale and possession of a controlled substance following a months-long investigation into drug trafficking in the Tri-States area of Port Jervis, New York, Montague, New Jersey, and Milford, Pennsylvania.
Orange County authorities said Shariff Gual was arrested on Thursday, July 20, arraigned and remanded to the Orange County Jail without bail.
He was indicted on July 24.
“He kind of evaded prosecution a number of times. This time they were able to get him. He was actually caught attempting to sell $10,000 worth of narcotics to an undercover officer. So, I think that effectively ends his career of crime,” Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said.
The investigation that led to Gual’s arrest involved the Port Jervis Police Department, Orange County Drug Task Force, Pike County Criminal Investigations Division of the Pike County, Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Office, and the Sussex County, New Jersey Prosecutor’s Office.
Investigation revealed that Gaul had been working with Reginald Francis, who was arrested and charged with narcotics offenses in Milford, Pennsylvania.
The investigation culminated with execution of several search warrants in the City of Port Jervis, Town of Deerpark, Montague and Milford. Also assisting in the investigation were Middletown Police, Orange County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Group, Pike County Sheriff’s Office, Hudson Crime Analysis Center, Pennsylvania State Police and US Probation.
