A nine-month narcotics investigation in the Hudson Valley and beyond resulted in what prosecutors describe as a stunning fentanyl haul—enough to manufacture around 400,000 potentially deadly doses. The sweeping operation resulted in 17 arrests and coordinated searches in numerous towns spanning New York and New Jersey.
According to the Daily Voice, prosecutors have called the case Operation Slow Motion. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office spearheaded the endeavor, which included the Orange County Drug Task Force, the ATF, the DEA, the New York State Police, the NYPD, and many New Jersey agencies. The investigation began in August 2025 and concluded on April 29 with coordinated searches in Middletown, Central Valley, New York City, Edgewater, N.J., and Leonia, N.J. Authorities reported seizing approximately 16 kilograms of narcotics, 17 illegally possessed firearms, more than $250,000 in cash, and four vehicles.
Prosecutors said the recovered fentanyl was enough to make around 400,000 deadly dosages, and the operation yielded approximately 16 kg of narcotics in total. In addition to the drugs, authorities seized four vehicles, more than $250,000 in cash, and 17 guns from the street. Officials stated that, while 17 individuals have been charged, two more people connected to the investigation are still being sought.
Illicit fentanyl is notoriously lethal in trace levels, and synthetic opioids remain at the heart of the country’s overdose epidemic. According to CDC data, fentanyl and other illicitly made synthetic opioids account for a significant portion of recent overdose deaths. Federal agents have also announced a number of big fentanyl seizures in recent months, including regional cases that removed hundreds of thousands of potentially deadly doses from circulation, demonstrating how swiftly supplies can migrate from stash homes to neighborhoods. The DEA has reported several of the recent busts.
According to authorities, 17 people were charged in connection with the operation. Nikye Bee, Pedro Pabon Jr., Devin Paul, Robert Howard, Jonathan Tucciarone, Wesley Carrington, Jesika Pollidore, Branden Best, Ollie Dolson, Hector James, John Muller, Dominic Scarano, Richard Banks, and Juwan Dolson are among the defendants named in the charging documents, as are two others who have not been publicly identified. Investigators identified 52-year-old Zachary Lewis from Central Valley as a significant figure in the network. Prosecutors stated that Lewis was remanded without bail and faces up to 30 years in jail if convicted. According to local reports, the accused offenses include conspiracy and first-degree criminal sale of a prohibited narcotic.
The charges are expected to advance through the local court system as prosecutors present their evidence and investigators attempt to identify the two people who remain at large. Officials have requested anyone with knowledge regarding the investigation or anyone involved to contact the Orange County District Attorney’s Office or their local police department.
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