GOSHEN – A 48-year-old Yonkers man, who is director of Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence, a group that promotes anti-violence and receives government funds, has been indicted by an Orange County grand jury on drug and gun charges.
District Attorney David Hoovler said Michael Rodriguez was charged with two felony counts of drug possession, two counts of weapons possession, and two counts of conspiracy.
He is being held without bail in the Orange County Jail.
Meanwhile, Angelica Rodriguez, 39, also known as “Jelly,” and not believed to be related to Michael Rodriguez, of Middletown, was also indicted on two counts each of drug possession, weapons possession and conspiracy.
She was remanded in lieu of $100,000 cash bail, $500,000 fully secured bond or $750,000 partially secured bond.
A two-year investigation dubbed “Operation Hide in Pain Sight” led to their arrests on charges of supplying cocaine to drug dealers in the cities of Middletown and Port Jervis.
A warrant search of Michael Rodriguez’s residence yielded over 1.5 kilos of cocaine, more than $165,500 in cash, scales, a money counters, two unlicensed guns, a vacuum sealer, digital scales, and jewelry estimated to have a value of $50,000.
It is alleged that Michael Rodriguez supplied cocaine to Angelica Rodriguez, who would sell it in and around Middletown and Taino Lopez, who would sell it in and around Port Jervis.
Middletown Police were assisted in the investigation by the Orange County Drug Task Force.
