New York, New Jersey Men Plead In Orange County Trafficking Case: DA

ORANGE COUNTY, NY — Two people have pleaded guilty in a case of drug trafficking between New York and New Jersey, the result of a months-long undercover investigation into the sale of cocaine in and around Wallkill that uncovered a pipeline from Montague, Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced.

Ronald Lempka, 23, of Middletown, and Keanu Alicea, 29, of Montague, New Jersey accepted plea deals June 24 in Orange County Court, the DA said.

They pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal possession, a felony under state law with a potential penalty of life in prison. Under the plea agreements announced at the time, prosecutors will recommend sentences of nine years in prison to be followed by five years of
post-release supervision. The Court agreed to cap their sentences at seven years in prison. It is expected that they will also forfeit proceeds or instrumentalities of their crimes as part of the disposition, prosecutors said.

They are scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 18.

The investigation resulted in the execution of judicially authorized search warrants at residences and vehicles in Wallkill and Montague. During the course of the investigation and the execution of
the search warrants, law enforcement recovered about 150 grams of cocaine, more than $28,000 in United States currency, and a defaced handgun, prosecutors said.

At the plea proceedings, Lempka and Alicea admitted to selling one half ounce or more of cocaine, the DA said.

Hoovler thanked the Orange County Drug Task Force, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation which led to the arrests. He also thanked the New York State Police Violent Gangs and Narcotics Enforcement Team (VGNET); Sussex NJ Guns, Gangs and Narcotics Task Force; Town of Wallkill Police Department; City of Middletown Police Department; and the Hudson Valley Crime Analysis Center for their assistance during the investigation.

“High-level narcotics trafficking can only be disrupted by sophisticated and dedicated law enforcement investigations,” Hoovler said. “My Office will continue to dedicate resources to the types of long-term narcotics investigations that result in arrests and convictions such as seen in this case. We must continue to counter the deadly spread of drugs in our communities. We remain steadfast in our dedication to identify drug dealers and hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”