Lloyd Police Chief James Janso said on Monday, August 16 at about 8pm there was a major drug bust at the Highland Motel on Route 9W. Members of the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team (URGENT) arrested three individuals as a result of a joint investigation between the Dutchess County Drug Task Force and URGENT. In August, the Dutchess County Drug Task Force developed information on narcotics sales in the Poughkeepsie and Highland areas.

On the day of the arrest, members of the DCDTF and URGENT observed drug transactions occurring at local businesses in Highland. As a result, James M. Soricelli, Jr., 42, of Poughkeepsie, was taken into custody and found in possession of approximately 20 grams of cocaine. He was charged with two felony counts for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree. He was arraigned in the Town of Lloyd Court and remanded to the Ulster County Jail without bail due to prior felony convictions.

A short time later, Nicholas C. Pagano, 37, of Hyde Park and Nicole R. Jablonka, 35, of Poughkeepsie, were arrested after they were observed engaging in narcotics transactions. Both were charged with the felonies of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and one count of Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia in the Second Degree. Both were released with appearance tickets and are due to appear in the Town of Lloyd Court at a later date. Chief Janso said this drug bust is the third one this year since his department rejoined URGENT. He said the cocaine that was seized has a street value of $10,000, the fentanyl that was obtained is worth $2,000 and law enforcement also collected $15,000 in cash.

“This was probably one of the bigger ones that we’ve had in a couple of years,” Janso said.

Janso also noted that just prior to Wednesday’s Town Board meeting, his department was called to the same hotel for a drug overdose. The individual was saved after the police administered Narcan. He said at the moment his department is in need of additional supplies of Narcan.

“It was a major arrest and I’m sure there will be more that stems from this because these things are like octopus tentacles, they spread out and this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as where it’s going to go to in jurisdictions and counties,” he said.

Janso is hoping to get these individuals off the street.

“Hopefully, when they get to court, they will take the necessary steeps to put them away and keep them out of our community,” he said. “It’s a longer process now with the bail reform because two years ago they would be put on bail and they’d be off the streets in jail. Now, two of them are back on the streets and who knows where they are going to resurface, what they’re going to be doing and be held accountable; right now they are out and about walking among us...whether they show up only time will tell but if not they will issue a warrant on them,” he said.

Janso contends that, “gutting the whole bail system like they did is putting the citizens in the community at risk and in harm’s way. Here you got three major drug dealers in our township among us and they’re back out on the street to do the same thing.” He pointed out that the money and drugs that were seized will be noted by another person who may be involved and want compensation for their losses, which may result in violence.

URGENT and DCDTF were assisted by Town of Lloyd Police uniformed patrols. In addition the following agencies have members assigned to URGENT: Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, Ulster County District Attorney’s Office, Town of Shandaken Police, Ulster County Probation, Town of Plattekill Police, Village of Ellenville Police, Town of Lloyd Police, Town of Woodstock Police, Town of Marlborough Police and the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations.