MONTICELLO – Armed with a search warrant, the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office arrested seven people on drug charges during a 4:30 a.m. raid at 11 ½ Lincoln Place in the Village of Monticello on Thursday, January 11.
The residence is well known in the neighborhood as a drug prone location, according to authorities.
At the scene deputies recovered a quantity of cocaine, heroin/fentanyl, and several thousand dollars in cash.
“The total weight of the drugs seized was almost a half a pound,” according to Sheriff Mike Schiff.
Charged with felony criminal possession of drugs and criminal possession with intent to sell are Ronald Rivera, 34, Kaileigh Burkert, 30, Daniel Sullivan, 31, Shanice White, 27, Paul DeLorenzo, 39, Anthony Shackelford, 54, and 37-year-old Ryan Haines.
All seven suspects gave Monticello addresses, said the sheriff.
Rivera was wanted on a State Police warrant for criminal possession of a controlled substance and is also on federal probation.
Burket was wanted on a criminal impersonation warrant from the Monticello Police and a criminal possession of a controlled substance warrant from the Sheriff’s Office. Both charges are misdemeanors.
DeLorenzo was wanted on a parole warrant and is a three-time felony offender.
Shackelford is a six- time felony offender.
All seven suspects were arraigned before Monticello Village Judge Douglas Solomon and due to the severity of the charges, they were sent to the Sullivan County Jail without bail.
“When we talk about addressing the drug problem in Sullivan County, we talk about how it requires a multi-level approach. Specifically, education, treatment and enforcement. Thursday morning’s raid in Monticello was clearly the enforcement component.”
The sheriff’s office was assisted in this investigation by the Monticello Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Parole, State Parole and District Attorney Investigators.
The search warrant was prepared by Assistant District Attorney Thomas Raleigh.
