A 27-year-old Ellenville resident, Joshua Atkinson, has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for his involvement in a drug distribution conspiracy involving fentanyl and cocaine.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman, alongside officials from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, which leads the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team (URGENT).
Atkinson was among 11 individuals charged in connection with the case. Several of the defendants have already been sentenced, while others are awaiting sentencing. Christopher Baez received a 71-month prison term followed by five years of supervised release, and Michael Herry was sentenced to 27 months in prison with three years of supervised release. Sentencing dates are set for the remaining defendants, including Joshua Morales on February 19, 2025; Joseph Logan on May 21, 2025; Timothy Hutcherson on April 9, 2025; and Daryl Livingston on April 2, 2025.
As part of his guilty plea, Atkinson admitted to distributing and possessing approximately 3.2 kilograms of cocaine and 600 grams of fentanyl. He also acknowledged using violent methods to collect debts from his drug redistributors, including an incident where he threatened a co-conspirator with a hammer. Law enforcement officials recovered a .22 caliber pistol during the execution of a search warrant at his residence in January 2023.
In addition to his prison term, Atkinson will serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his sentence. The sentencing was handed down by Senior U.S. District Judge David N. Hurd.
The investigation was conducted by multiple law enforcement agencies, including HSI, the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office in collaboration with URGENT, the New York State Police, the Village of Ellenville Police Department, and the White Plains Police Department, with assistance from the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative, which focuses on identifying and dismantling high-level criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, and gang activity through a coordinated effort involving federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
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