NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James Friday announced the convictions of 12 defendants responsible for flooding communities in the Hudson Valley and the Capital Region with heroin and methamphetamine disguised as prescription drugs, as well as cocaine and counterfeit Xanax pills.
An 11-month investigation found that the individuals trafficked cocaine and thousands of pills throughout Ulster, Dutchess, and Saratoga counties, and illegally possessed firearms, including assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
The investigation led to the recovery of over $1.3 million in narcotics, 39 firearms, including four assault weapons, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and $120,000 in cash. All of the defendants pled guilty to felony charges for their roles in the trafficking operation.
The 12 were charged with various counts of conspiracy, criminal possession and criminal sale of a controlled substance, and criminal possession of a weapon. All of the defendants have pled guilty to felony charges before Judge Bryan Rounds in Ulster County Court.
The 12 are Robert Curry, 44, of Albany; Christopher Pulichene, 41, of New Paltz; Ralph Banks, Jr., 52, of Saugerties; Thomas Colon, 62, of Saugerties; Alton Countryman, 36, of Kingston; Thekla Countryman, 36 years old, of Kingston; Kevin Drake, Jr., 34, of Kingston; Julia Eaton, 35, of Gansevoort; Joshua Guldy, 22, of Kingston; Nicholas Lasusa, 33, of Saugerties; Devyn Wolny, 26, of New Paltz; Zachary Vanvlack, 34, of Wappingers Falls.
The investigation revealed that Christopher Pulichene operated an illegal pill distribution network in and around Ulster County, Dutchess County, and Saratoga County.
Pulichene supplied heroin pills disguised as oxycodone pills for resale to Thomas Colon, Julia Eaton, and Zachary Vanvlack, and supplied methamphetamine pills disguised as Adderall pills for resale to Colon, Eaton, Vanvlack, and Devyn Wolny. Colon would then sell the pills to Ralph Banks, Jr., and others. Pulichene obtained the heroin pills from Alton Countryman (who was assisted by Thekla Countryman and Joshua Guldy), and obtained the methamphetamine pills from a source on the West Coast.
The investigation also revealed that Pulichene sold cocaine to Colon, Eaton, and Wolny for resale to others. Specifically, Colon resold cocaine to Banks, Kevin Drake, Jr., and Nicholas Lasusa. Pulichene obtained the cocaine from a source located on the Gulf Coast.
The investigation led to the recovery of:
• 11 kilograms of cocaine, with an approximate street value of $1.2 million;
• 15,000 methamphetamine pills, disguised as Adderall pills, with an approximate street value of $100,000;
• 5,000 artificial Xanax pills, with an approximate street value of $50,000;
• 750 heroin pills, disguised as oxycodone, with an approximate street value of $20,000;
• 39 firearms, including four assault weapons;
• 40 high capacity magazines;
• Hundreds of rounds of ammunition; and
• $120,000 in cash.
