Police and Feds Announce Major Drug Crack Down

The US Department of Justice has announced a major drug bust that led to the arrest of 83 individuals across Washington, Warren and Saratoga Counties. 

The bust, dubbed “Operation Fast Track” seized 2,100 counterfeit pills, 1,100 fentanyl pills, 125 grams of methamphetamine, 510 grams of crack cocaine, 569 grams of cocaine, 2,00 grams of fentanyl & heroin, more than 500 lbs. of marijuana and 8 firearms across three counties. 

Of the 83 defendants, 18 are being charged at the federal level while 65 are being prosecuted at the county level. The operation was carried out by several agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration New York Enforcement Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, New York State Police, Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Warren County Sheriff’s Office and the Saratoga Springs Police Department.

In Saratoga Springs alone, investigators were able to seize 60 grams of fentanyl, 47 grams of crack cocaine, 123 grams of powder cocaine, 600 pills containing analog benzodiazepines and methamphetamine, 300 pressed pills containing fentanyl, counterfeit Adderall, Ecstasy pills, and crystal methamphetamine, according to a press release put out by the Saratoga Springs Police Department. 

In addition, Saratoga Springs Police arrested six people on felony drug charges, 14 on drug positions, and two individuals on outstanding warrants.

“The Saratoga Springs Police Department remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those who seek to profit from the distribution of dangerous narcotics,” Saratoga Springs Police Chief Tyler McIntosh said in a statement.  “Together, we will continue to disrupt drug trafficking networks and protect the communities we serve.”

Of the 18 defendants being charged at the federal level, court records show that at least six of the individuals were charged for actions that took place in Saratoga County. Those six are as follows: 

• Joshua Allen: three counts of distribution of controlled substance.

• Kelly Jacobs and Christopher Belle: conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.

• Shamik Miley: Distribution of controlled substance. 

• Sean Phillips: Possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. 

• Patricio Tornez-Solano: illegal reentry of an alien. 

Of the five cases, court records show that at least three of them emerged from investigations or arrests by the Saratoga Springs Police Department. The documents also gave some insight into how police uncovered the various alleged illegal acts. 

In the case of Jacobs and Belle, the two were arrested after New York State Police stopped their vehicle on a traffic infraction on I-87 and allegedly found over two pounds of fentanyl in the back seat of the car. 

In the case of Miley, the court documents state that the evidence came from a confidential informant who was provided by police with recording equipment and marked bills to facilitate a drug buy. That case recovered over 27 grams of cocaine. Video of his arrest was later posted online by the Saratoga Police Department.

Phillips, meanwhile, was arrested by the DEA after he allegedly used the dark web to purchase illegal drugs in the Town of Greenfield. According to court documents, the DEA executed a search warrant and found 400 bromazepam pills and crystal meth. 

“The arrests of 83 individuals, removal of eight firearms, and the seizure of two kilos of fentanyl and heroin, along with thousands of counterfeit pills, some of which contained fentanyl and bromazepam, and other dangerous narcotics represent far more than enforcement statistics. They represent lives protected and communities made safer,” stated DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. “The growing presence of counterfeit pills containing substances like bromazepam, often mixed with fentanyl, continues to pose an extraordinary threat to public safety, potentially turning a single pill into a fatal dose. Every pill removed from our streets is one less opportunity for tragedy. This operation demonstrates the power of partnership and our unwavering commitment to identifying, targeting, and dismantling those individuals and drug trafficking organizations that profit from poisoning our communities.”