SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office has concluded a three-month investigation into street-level narcotics sales in the Monticello, Liberty and Jeffersonville areas.

On Wednesday, May 26, the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office Gang and Narcotics Intelligence Unit executed a search warrant at 28 Taylor A Rd. in Jeffersonville. The location, which is on a quiet dead-end road, is alleged to have been a distribution point for a large portion of the heroin that is trafficked in Sullivan County. At the location, deputies seized over 500 bags of heroin/fentanyl, a quantity of crack cocaine, suboxone strips, packaging materials, a scale and $3,400. Further investigation led deputies to two additional locations: 564 Willi Hill Rd. in White Sulphur Springs, where seven ounces of heroin/fentanyl was recovered, and 313 Cooks Brook Rd. in the Town of Colchester, Delaware County, where approximately $11,000 was seized.

As a result of the execution of these search warrants, the following eight suspects were arrested:

As a result of the execution of these search warrants, the following eight suspects were arrested:

Carlos Colon, 30, of Liberty—charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 2nd degree—a Class A-II felony, three counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd degree, a class B felony, Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 3rd degree, a class B felony and Conspiracy 4th degree, a class E felony.

The defendant was sent to the Sullivan County Jail without bail.

Salvatore Heinrich, 33, and Richard Patterson, 27, both of Jeffersonville where each charged with two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd degree, a class B felony, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 4th degree, a class C felony, and  Conspiracy 4th, a class E felony. Heinrich was remanded to the Sullivan County Jail without bail. Patterson was released on his own recognizance.

Alanna Bierstine, 32, of White Sulphur Springs was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd degree, a class B felony. Bierstine was released on her own recognizance.

Alex Eschenberg, 34, of Callicoon, Stephen Mootz, 37 of Callicoon Center and Aaliyah Garcia, 18, of Jeffersonville where charged with Loitering 1st, a class B Misdemeanor. All three suspects were issued appearance tickets and released.

Carlos Ortiz, 24, of Liberty was arrested for two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 3rd  degree, a class B Felony. Ortiz was released on his own recognizance.

Sheriff Mike Schiff described the defendants as “participants” in a network of Sullivan County drug distribution, with Colon as the head of this particular organization. “The product that Carlos Colon sells makes him a purveyor of death and despair,” said the sheriff noting that the overdose rate in Sullivan County is “off the charts.” Colon was out on bail, awaiting sentencing for a previous drug conviction, when he was arrested on the new charges.

Sullivan County District Attorney Meagan Galligan said, “While Sheriff Schiff and I have promised to seek help for those whose addiction has not yet endangered others, we intend to identify, investigate and hold responsible those who prey upon addiction for profit.” Galligan said that the investigation was a result of an ongoing, coordinated effort by law enforcement against the opiate crisis in Sullivan County.

The sheriff’s office was assisted by the district attorney’s office, who prepared the search warrants, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, the Town of Colchester Police Department and the Village of Liberty Police.