A Hudson Valley man is accused of possessing over 11,000 packets of heroin and acting of the "director" of a large heroin organization in the region.

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City of Port Jervis Police Chief William Worden and Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced 30-year-old Richard McInturff of Port Jervis was charged with operating as a major drug trafficker and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the First Degree, all felonies.

Last week, members of the Port Jervis City Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Group executed a search warrant issued by the Port Jervis City Court at McInturff’s residence. The search warrant, which was drafted with the aid of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, was part of an investigation into the illicit sales of the narcotic drug heroin in the City of Port Jervis, police say.

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After a search of the residence, detectives allegedly recovered 27 ounces of suspected heroin packaged for sale (7,658 packets), $2,000 and a digital scale.

In addition to those controlled substances, another 3,500 packets of suspected heroin were recovered during the course of the investigation, police say.

“This is a very significant seizure of narcotics, one of the largest in the history of Port Jervis, and underscores the magnitude of the opioid epidemic,” District Attorney David M. Hoovler said. “While those who are addicted to drugs need and deserve our compassion and assistance, those who profit from selling these frequently lethal substances deserve punishment, particularly those who sell large quantities for profit."

A felony complaint filed in the City of Port Jervis Court alleges that McInturff acted as the “director” of a “controlled substance organization,” which between March 18, 2020, and March 18, 2021, sold controlled substances, including heroin and fentanyl, and that the sales from those controlled substances were in excess of $75,000 in that one-year period.

It is alleged that McInturff directed the actions of others involved in the controlled substance organization. It is alleged that after his arraignment, McInturff attempted to escape from the custody of the Port Jervis Police Department by pushing police officers and attempting to flee. Officers were able to successfully prevent the escape after a struggle. McInturff was additionally charged with attempted escape, a felony.

McInturff was arraigned in Port Jervis City Court where he was remanded to the custody of the Orange County Jail without bail pending further court appearances.

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