Man Arrested During 'Operation Final Blow' Enters Plea: DA

PORT JERVIS, NY — An Orange County man who was accused of having illegal drugs after a four-month-long narcotics investigation admitted his guilt in court Thursday.

Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said that Wayne Smith, 43, of Port Jervis, pleaded guilty to second-degree conspiracy and second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Under the plea agreement, he can be sentenced to up to 10 years in state prison for the possession charge and a concurrent sentence of up to six to 12 years in state prison for the conspiracy charge. — for a total of 10 to 12 years in state prison.

Smith is scheduled to be sentenced March 6, a spokesperson told Patch.

Hoovler said that, although Smith is being investigated for additional narcotic related crimes in Pennsylvania, the agreement made in Orange County Court would not be affected by whatever happens in those matters.

Prosecutors said Smith was arrested as a result of a more than four-month investigation designed to disrupt major narcotics trafficking in Port Jervis and surrounding areas, including Pike County, Pennsylvania, which borders Port Jervis.

The investigation, called “Operation Final Blow,” was initially started by the City of Port Jervis Police Department, the Orange County Drug Task Force, the New York State Police Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team, the Pike County Criminal Investigations division of the Pike County District Attorney’s Office and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, in addition to other local and federal agencies.

It included the use of court-ordered eavesdropping, as well as the executive of 17 search warrants, authorities said.

The search warrants resulted in the seizure of about 2 kilograms of cocaine, 74 grams of heroin, 165 grams of fentanyl, 1,600 ecstasy pills and 235 pills containing oxycodone, as well as seven illegally possessed firearms and $153,690.

Police also took 11 automobiles, four motorcycles and two ATVs into evidence, prosecutors said.

Hoovler said his office will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of high-ranking drug dealers in Orange County.

“This case exemplifies the benefits of coordinated and dedicated enforcement actions by police and prosecutors, even when working across state lines,” he said.

“The operation helped to disrupt the flow of narcotics being trafficked in the western part of Orange County by bringing the higher-level dealers, including this defendant, to justice,” Hoovler said.