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Rockland County DA Drug Task Force Investigation Results In Five Arrests

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Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II announces the completion of a five-month long investigation by the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office Drug Task Force into narcotics sales in the Village of Spring Valley, Town of Haverstraw, and Town of Ramapo. The defendants are charged with selling crack cocaine and powder cocaine in Rockland County.
Jose Pena of Garnerville, NY; Mario Amaya of Spring Valley; Daquan Leary of Suffern; Eric Hayden of Pomona; and Jonathan Albizures of Spring Valley have been indicted and arrested for the charges of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree.
“I commend the professionalism and thorough investigation conducted by the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office Drug Task Force, which works closely with our partners on the local, state, and federal level to hold any individual accountable for selling illegal narcotics on our streets. The arrest and indictments of these alleged drug dealers is a critical step in our ongoing fight to protect our residents and keep the community safe.
To anyone who is struggling with addiction, help is available. Any individual dealing with substance abuse can walk into any Rockland County police station and ask for the ‘Hope Not Handcuffs’ program, no questions will be asked, and a call will be made to an ‘angel’ volunteer from the Hope Not Handcuffs – Hudson Valley team who will actively seek out a treatment plan.” said District Attorney Tom Walsh.
The Rockland County District Attorney’s Office Drug Task Force is focused on combating open air and street-level narcotics dealing in Rockland County. The Task Force is staffed by seasoned prosecutors and District Attorney investigators, and police officers from the Clarkstown PD, Orangetown PD, and the Town of Haverstraw PD who work closely with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to combat drug distribution and related violence in each of Rockland’s towns and villages.
Senior Assistant District Attorney John Longo and Assistant District Attorney Korrine Torres are prosecuting the case.
It should be noted that a criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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Crime

Rockland County Court Rejects Convicted Murderer’s Eighth Attempt To Vacate Conviction

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Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh, II, announced today that, in a decision issued on March 25, 2025, Rockland County Court Judge Kevin F. Russo rejected the latest attempt by convicted murderer Amer Zada to have his conviction vacated. The court noted that this motion is the eighth time Zada has sought to reverse or vacate his conviction.
In 1980, Zada was convicted of the murder of seventeen-year-old Shirley Smith in a Village of Nyack parking lot. He was also convicted of Attempted Sodomy in the First Degree and Aggravated Sexual Abuse as a result of his attack on Ms. Smith. At his trial, Zada was represented by William Kunstler, a world-renowned defense attorney who had gained notoriety for successfully defending many high profile and controversial clients.
In its decision, the court described the defendant’s current motion as being largely based on Zada’s claim that certain documents were not turned over to him prior to trial.
“The court found that Zada had failed to adequately establish this speculative claim as he provided no direct evidence that he had never received the documents. I would like to commend Executive Assistant District Attorney James Dolan for his dedication and professionalism representing the Office in this proceeding.” said District Attorney Tom Walsh.
The court also found that, even assuming that the documents had not been turned over, they were of little importance in the case against Zada and none of them were exculpatory within the meaning of the law. In addition, the court found that Zada’s motion to vacate his conviction raised only minor inconsistencies in the case against him, most of which were thoroughly explored by Mr. Kunstler during the trial. In conclusion, the court found that Zada had not offered anything to justify vacating his conviction.

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Crime

Ramapo Police Officers Arrest 19 Individuals Over The Weekend From DUI to Domestic Violence

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This past weekend, your Ramapo officers were hard at work, making 19 arrests throughout the Town. The breakdown includes:
• 10 arrests for suspended licenses or registrations
• 2 arrests on warrants
• 2 arrests for drunk driving, including one with a child in the car
• 1 arrest for open container
• 1 arrest for a forged inspection sticker
• 2 domestic-related assaults with child endangerment
• 1 arrest for domestic-related criminal mischief
All individuals arrested have been processed and cases handed off to the next step in the criminal justice system. It is important to note that a criminal complaint is an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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