GOSHEN – The director of Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence pled guilty in Orange County Court on Thursday to criminal possession of drugs and conspiracy in connection with a cocaine trafficking operation in and around the City of Middletown.
His anti-violence program receives government money and works in the Bronx to promote safer streets.
Under the plea deal in Orange County, Rodriguez is expected to be sentenced to 10 years in state prison followed by five years of post-release supervision when sentenced in January of next year. He also agreed to forfeit a car and $165,000 in ill-gotten proceeds of his crimes.
Middletown City Police had conducted a two-year investigation into cocaine trafficking allegedly committed by Angelica Rodriguez, 39, also known as “Jelly,” of Otisville.
Middletown PD was assisted by the Orange County Drug Task Force, run under the supervision of a senior criminal investigator from the district attorney’s office and a senior investigator from the sheriff’s office. The task force is comprised of police officers from other municipal police agencies.
The DA’s office secured court-ordered eavesdropping in the investigation leading to the discovery that the same suppliers of cocaine who were supplying Angelica Rodriguez and her co-conspirators with cocaine, were also supplying the drugs to those in the City of Port Jervis leading Port Jervis Police to enter the investigation.
A warrant search of Michael Rodriguez’s Yonkers residence yielded over 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, more than $165,500 in cash, scales, a money counter, two unlicensed guns, a vacuum sealer, digital scales and jewelry estimated to have a value of some $50,000.
At the plea proceedings, Michael Rodiguez admitted to entering into a conspiracy with Angelica Rodriguez and Taino Lopez and supplying them with cocaine to resell.
“The plea of Westchester resident Michael Rodriguez shows the reach of the Orange County Drug Task Force and my office,” said Sheriff Paul Arteta.
DA David Hoovler called it “appalling that the director of a respected program which serves to reduce gun violence and help at-risk youth would himself be a major drug dealer.”
