Shelter Security Guard Accused of Selling Drugs to the Homeless

A Poughkeepsie security guard is accused of selling drugs to the people she was tasked with protecting.

Taking care of the most vulnerable members of the community is one of the most noble jobs someone can do. The Hudson Valley's unhoused community is susceptible to crime, abuse and other dangers that come from living out on the streets.

The men and women who serve the homeless population give these people back their dignity and help obtain the best possible outcomes for individuals who are in need of assistance.

Unfortunately, the job of attending to the homeless can also lead some people to abuse their position and violate the trust of the very people they are supposed to be helping.

Poughkeepsie Woman Accused of Selling Drugs at Homeless Shelter

The Dutchess County District Attorney says the office's drug task force has been investigating reports of drugs being sold at the Poughkeepsie homeless shelter over the past month.

Residents living at the shelter in the former Dutchess County Jail reportedly tipped off prosecutors in February, telling authorities that a security officer was "selling dangerous drugs" inside the shelter.

The District Attorney's office says it conducted an investigation that resulted in undercover agents purchasing cocaine from Marlene Sosa on "multiple occasions". Sosa, a 32-year-old security worker from Poughkeepsie, was on duty at the homeless shelter during the alleged illegal transactions.

On Thursday, Sosa was taken into custody and charged with Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the third degree, which is considered a class B felony. The security guard was being held at the Dutchess County Sheriff’s office ahead of her arraignment at City of Poughkeepsie Justice Court.