Middletown police officers arrested two men for illegal drug possession after a month-long joint investigation with the district attorney’s office, according to a March 24 police release.
The investigation aimed to disrupt the trafficking of cocaine and heroin in the area.
One of the defendants, Noah Stark-Morris, was also illegally in possession of a firearm.
The city has seen an increase in shots fired this year, though police have reported no direct evidence linking them to illicit drug trafficking.
On March 21, Middletown police executed a search warrant at Stark-Morris’s residence in the Town of Wallkill, recovering 4 grams of fentanyl, 17 grams of crack cocaine, 5 grams of powdered cocaine, one scale, and other packaging materials.
The search also led to the discovery of a handgun, a shotgun, and ammunition.
Stark-Morris was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and a firearm before being released on his own recognizance.
Under current New York law, the crimes he was charged with aren’t eligible for bail.
On March 24, Middletown police, with assistance from the sheriff’s office, executed a no-knock search warrant at 147 Prospect Ave. in the City of Middletown.
Police recovered 139 bags of heroin and fentanyl, two scales, and 28 rounds of ammunition.
The target of the search, Kenneth Middleton, was arrested on-site and charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree.
Because Middleton had an outstanding warrant from a separate charge of driving without a valid license, a cash bail was allowed to be set on his new offense.
He was subsequently remanded to county jail.
Several shots were recently reportedly fired on the same block of Middleton’s residence, and several shell casings were located by police.
No people or property were found to have been struck by gunfire following a neighborhood canvass by police.
In January, gunshots were reported on two separate occasions near the intersection of Wickham Avenue and Sproat Street by nearby residents.
On Jan. 4, a bullet passed through a window of a Sproat Street residence without injuring anyone.
Four days later, a residence on nearby Lincoln Street was reported to have a bullet hole inside a bedroom.
Middletown police believe the incidents are related, according to a press release.
Anyone with information on shots fired is encouraged to contact the Middletown Police Department at 845-343-3151; anonymous tips can be sent via text through Nixle to 888777.
Individuals or business owners with video surveillance systems or doorbell cameras in areas where shots were fired are encouraged to review the footage for evidence.
