When law enforcement raided homes and vehicles across three states in September 2022, they didn’t just seize drugs—they cracked open a sprawling network that had been flooding the Hudson Valley with deadly fentanyl. Operation Final Blow, a four-month undercover investigation, ended with the arrest of six major players and the seizure of enough narcotics to kill thousands. The operation, led by the City of Port Jervis Police Department and backed by a coalition of over a dozen agencies, exposed how a small border town became a critical node in a regional drug pipeline stretching from Pennsylvania to New Jersey.
Here's the thing: Port Jervis isn’t just another upstate town. It sits where New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania meet—a geographic sweet spot for traffickers moving drugs across state lines with minimal scrutiny. For months, investigators used wiretaps, confidential informants, and controlled buys to map out the hierarchy. What they found wasn’t a lone dealer operating out of a basement. It was a coordinated supply chain, with suppliers in Port Washington, distributors in Deerpark, and stash houses tucked into Mount Hope and Monticello. And the product? Pure, lethal, and increasingly common.
The Seizure: A Deadly Inventory
On the day the warrants were executed, agents walked away with two kilograms of cocaine, 74 grams of heroin, and 165 grams of fentanyl—enough to make more than 800,000 lethal doses if cut at typical street potency. They also confiscated 1,600 ecstasy pills, 235 oxycodone tablets, seven unregistered firearms, and $153,690 in cash. Vehicles weren’t spared: eleven cars, four motorcycles, and two ATVs were seized, many used as mobile distribution units. One SUV, found parked near a school playground, had a hidden compartment lined with fentanyl packets.
"This wasn’t about petty street sales," said Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler at the press conference. "This was wholesale distribution feeding an addiction crisis that’s claimed lives across Orange and Sullivan Counties. We’re talking about people who knew exactly what they were selling—and who didn’t care who it killed."
Who Was Targeted? The Key Players
Five defendants face the most serious charges in Orange County. Wayne Smith, 42, of Deerpark; Joseph Bruno, 43, of Port Jervis; and Christian Shomo, 33, of Mount Hope, are each accused of selling over four ounces of cocaine on September 7, 2022. Jose Parra, 61, of Port Washington, faces the same charge for a sale on August 14, 2022. All face up to 20 years in state prison.
Meanwhile, Tyara Porter, 47, of Monticello, was arrested after agents found over four ounces of fentanyl in her home—enough to qualify for a second-degree possession charge in Sullivan County. She’s also charged with conspiracy in Orange County, suggesting she was a logistical hub for distribution.
But the reach didn’t stop there. The Pike County District Attorney's Office, led by Raymond Tonkin, is prosecuting five more individuals: Alice Miller, Richard Smith, Scott Walker, Bobby Jakubowski, and Max Hechinger. Their charges range from possession with intent to sell to money laundering, and their ties to the main network are still being unraveled.
Why This Operation Mattered
What made Operation Final Blow different wasn’t just the scale of the bust—it was the coordination. For the first time in Orange County, state police, federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI’s Safe Streets Taskforce, and even the U.S. Marshals Service worked side by side with local departments from New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The New York State Police Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team provided surveillance tech and tactical support, while the Sussex County Guns, Gang and Narcotics Taskforce tracked vehicle movements across state lines.
"This is how you fight modern drug trafficking," said Orange County Sheriff Carl E. Dubois. "You don’t wait for bodies to pile up. You go after the supply before it hits the streets."
The Human Cost Behind the Numbers
Behind every gram of fentanyl seized is a family that lost someone. In 2021, Orange County recorded 112 overdose deaths—nearly 70% linked to fentanyl. The year before, Sullivan County saw a 40% spike in emergency responses to suspected opioid overdoses. Many of those calls came from the same neighborhoods where the suspects lived. One mother in Port Jervis told local reporters last fall that her 22-year-old son died after buying what he thought was oxycodone. It was fentanyl. He never knew the difference.
"We’ve been screaming about this for years," said Dr. Lisa Chen, a public health researcher at SUNY New Paltz. "But until law enforcement starts treating drug trafficking like the public health emergency it is—targeting the supply chain, not just the users—we’re just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic."
What’s Next?
The prosecutions are just beginning. Court dates for the primary defendants are scheduled for early 2023. Prosecutors say they’re still analyzing digital evidence from seized phones and computers, which could lead to more charges. Meanwhile, community outreach programs in Port Jervis and Monticello are being expanded with state funding to offer free naloxone kits and addiction counseling.
"This isn’t over," warned City of Port Jervis Police Chief William Worden. "We took out a branch. The tree is still standing. But now we know where the roots are."
And that’s what makes this more than a bust. It’s a blueprint.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did law enforcement track the drug network across three states?
Investigators used court-ordered wiretaps, GPS tracking on vehicles, and undercover buys to map connections between dealers in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Federal agencies like HSI and the FBI provided access to national databases and cross-jurisdictional surveillance tools, allowing them to link transactions across state lines. One key breakthrough came when a phone used by Joseph Bruno was found to communicate with a contact in Pike County within minutes of a drug drop-off in Port Jervis.
Why is fentanyl so dangerous in this region?
Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, and even a tiny amount—2 milligrams—can be fatal. Much of the fentanyl seized in Operation Final Blow was manufactured overseas and smuggled into the U.S. via Mexico, then distributed through regional networks. In rural areas like Port Jervis, users often don’t know they’re buying fentanyl because it’s mixed into counterfeit pills or cocaine. Overdose deaths in Orange County rose 67% between 2020 and 2022, largely because of this contamination.
What role did the Pike County District Attorney’s Office play?
Pike County, Pennsylvania, shares a border with Port Jervis and has long been a transit point for drugs entering New York. The Pike County Criminal Investigations Division provided critical intel on suspects who lived in Pennsylvania but sold drugs in New York. They prosecuted five additional defendants tied to the network, including individuals who laundered money through local businesses. Their involvement ensured that the investigation wasn’t limited by state lines.
Are these the only people involved in the drug trade in the region?
Definitely not. Authorities believe the 11 arrested individuals represent only the top tier of a larger network. Digital evidence from seized phones suggests dozens of lower-level dealers and buyers remain unidentified. The investigation is ongoing, and prosecutors are working with community tip lines and anonymous reporting apps to gather more leads. A second phase of Operation Final Blow is expected to launch in early 2024.
What’s being done to prevent future trafficking in Port Jervis?
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office has established a permanent narcotics intelligence unit funded by state grants. Local schools are receiving expanded drug education programs, and pharmacies are now required to report suspicious opioid prescriptions. Additionally, the town has partnered with the New York State Office of Addiction Services to install naloxone dispensers in public buildings and train first responders in rapid overdose intervention. The goal: reduce demand while cutting supply.
Can these defendants still be found innocent?
Yes. Under U.S. law, every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The charges filed are based on evidence gathered during the investigation, but no conviction has occurred. Defense attorneys are expected to challenge the legality of some search warrants and the chain of custody for seized drugs. The outcome of these trials will set important legal precedents for multi-jurisdictional drug cases in the Northeast.