Charges against twelve members of a million-dollar local drug-selling organization were announced early Wednesday afternoon at the Ulster County sheriff’s office by state attorney general Letitia James. Nine Ulster County residents were among those charged in the takedown. Authorities said that the local drug-trafficking enterprise was headed by Christopher Pulichene, who obtained the drugs from suppliers in a number of western and southern states.
Sheriff Juan Figueroa said that the local drug task force Urgent had started the investigation last year. The county had requested assistance in the operation from the state attorney general’s office in June of that year. The attorney general offered a full range of resources to help.
A large number of law-enforcement officers from the state and the county were involved. The succession of officeholders who spoke at the press conference praised the high degree of cooperation between the county and state in the complex case.
“Ulster County has witnessed an increase in drug use, drug overdoses, and gun violence,” said sheriff Juan Figueroa. “This case establishes the need of local law enforcement to collaborate with state agencies that have the assets and expertise of long-term investigations. This case is the largest seizure of illicit drugs in the county’s history.”
The charges against the defendants are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Who was charged
The indictments contain 279 counts for various felony narcotics offenses. Those charged in today’s two indictments include:
Christopher Pulichene, 39. New Paltz; Ralph Banks, Jr. 50, Saugerties; Thomas Colon, 60, Saugerties; Alton Countryman, 35, Kingston; Thekla Countryman, 35, Kingston; Robert Curry, 42. Albany; Kevin Drake, Jr., 32, Kingston; Julia Eaton, 34, Gansevoort; Joshua Guldy, 21, Kingston; Nicholas Lasusa, 31, Saugerties; Zachary Van Vlack, 34, Wappingers Falls; and Devyn Wolny, 24, New Paltz.
It is charged that Pulichene operated an illegal pill distribution network in and around Ulster, Dutchess, and Saratoga counties, and elsewhere. Pulichene allegedly purchased heroin pills from Alton Countryman, who was supported by his wife, Thekla Countryman, and Joshua Guldy. Alton Countryman is charged with creating the heroin pills in his home in Kingston and disguising them to look like pharmaceutical-grade oxycodone pills. The heroin pills were blue, round, and included the imprint “A 215,” which is found on pharmaceutical-grade oxycodone pills. Pulichene sold those heroin pills to defendants Thomas Colon, Julia Eaton, and Zachary Vanvlack.
Pulichene, who faces life in prison as a major trafficker if convicted of the charges, also purchased methamphetamine pills disguised as pharmaceutical grade Adderall pills from a source on the West Coast. Similar to the heroin pills, the methamphetamine pills included the same characteristics as Adderall — the pills were orange, oval-shaped, and included the imprint “B 974,” which is found on pharmaceutical-grade Adderall pills.
Pulichene allegedly sold those methamphetamine pills to defendants Colon, Eaton, Van Vlack, and Devyn Wolny. Colon then sold the pills to Ralph Banks, Jr. and others.
Pulichene is said to have also operated an illegal cocaine distribution network. He obtained cocaine from a source in the Gulf Coast and then sold the cocaine to Colon, Eaton, and Wolny for resale to others. Colon is charged weoth resold the cocaine to Banks, Kevin Drake, Jr., and Nicholas Lasusa.
Robert Curry is charged with one felony and three counts of possession of cocaine in Kingston.
In addition to the large quantities of drugs that were recovered, investigators seized 39 firearms, including assault weapons, 40 high-capacity magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, riot gear, and other weapons.
A very large takedown
“Ulster County has witnessed an increase in drug use, drug overdoses, and gun violence,” said sheriff Juan Figueroa. “This case establishes the need of local law enforcement to collaborate with state agencies that have the assets and expertise of long-term investigations. This case is the largest seizure of illicit drugs in the county’s history.”
The investigation led to the recovery of eleven 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; 5000 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; the firearms, including four assault weapons; 40 high-capacity magazines plus hundreds of rounds of ammunition; and,$120,000 in cash.
“This is one of the largest drug and gun takedowns in the history of Ulster County,” said Ulster County district attorney David J. Clegg. “The trafficking of illegal narcotic drugs and the possession of deadly firearms will not be tolerated in our county. We will continue to work jointly with the New York attorney general’s Office Organized Crime Taskforce to hold these twelve individuals accountable to the fullest extent of the law for the illegal sale and distribution of narcotics, and possession of illegal firearms. We will continue to work tirelessly to take dangerous drugs and firearms off the streets and keep our community safe.”
“This is a major victory in our efforts to stem the flow of guns, gangs, and drugs into our community; and will deliver a devastating blow to those who have been fomenting violence in our streets,” said Ulster County executive Pat Ryan. “We will not rest until every single violent criminal bringing these drugs and guns into our community is brought to justice.”
The state attorney general said this was one of the bigger cases in which her office had been involved. She said she had promised to get illegal drugs off the streets. “Today we are making good on that promise,” James declared.
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