Overdose Surge Triggers Cocaine-Fentanyl Ring Bust In Poughkeepsie: 9 Arrested, DA Says
A major drug investigation in Dutchess County has led to nine arrests and the seizure of cocaine and fentanyl, prosecutors announced.
The multi-week probe, dubbed “Operation DC Powder Outage,” targeted a distribution network following an increase in overdoses linked to cocaine mixed with fentanyl, Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi said on Thursday, Sept. 4.
In connection with the investigation, the Dutchess County Drug Task Force executed undercover purchases, search warrants, and raids that led to the arrests.
Agents seized cocaine, fentanyl, packaging mater…
Ex-Martial Arts Instructor From Hyde Park Who Sexually Abused Young Students Learns Fate
A former martial arts instructor who admitted to repeatedly sexually abusing minors in Dutchess County has been sentenced to prison, prosecutors announced.
Tyler LeClerc, age 27, of Hyde Park, was sentenced on Wednesday, Sept. 3, to 10 years in state prison after pleading guilty in June to multiple felony and misdemeanor charges, according to Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi.
LeClerc pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree criminal sexual act, one count of first-degree attempted sexual abuse, and two counts of forcible touching, as Daily Voice previously reported.…
Illegal Spa Shut Down, Woman Gets Prostitution Charge In Hyde Park Bust: Police
A Queens woman has been arrested on prostitution charges following an investigation that shut down a Dutchess County spa accused of offering illegal massage services, police announced.
On Thursday, Aug. 28, around 3 p.m., Hyde Park Police arrested Zhanglian Liao, 48, of Flushing, Queens, after a probe into Pine Woods Spa, located at 7 Pine Woods Rd. in Hyde Park, the department announced on Friday, Aug. 29.
According to police, community members had lodged multiple complaints about suspected illegal activity at the business. Investigators discovered that Liao was operating the spa out of Su…
Special Education Teacher In Hyde Park Sent Nudes To Middle Schoolers Over Discord: Feds
A Dutchess County middle school teacher has been arrested on federal charges alleging he used social media to send explicit messages to underage students, prosecutors announced.
Daniel Alan Monarchi, 26, of Red Hook, was taken into custody on Friday, Aug. 22, and appeared in White Plains federal court, where he was ordered detained, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Monday, Aug. 25.
Monarchi, who worked as a special education teacher at Haviland Middle School in Hyde Park according to the school's website, is accused of contacting multiple min…
Man, 26, Found Dead In Van At Residential Facility For Developmental Disabilities In Hyde Park
Authorities are investigating the death of a 26-year-old man who was found unresponsive in a transportation van parked at a residential facility in Dutchess County.
The incident occurred on Monday, August 4, around 2 p.m., when troopers were dispatched to New Horizons Resources Inc. at 201 Cream St. in the Town of Hyde Park, New York State Police announced on Tuesday, Aug. 5.
Upon arrival, officers found the man, a resident of the facility, deceased in a van owned by New Horizons. The van was parked on the property at the time he was found.
The State Police Bureau of Criminal I…
Former State Auditor Steals $400K From Wallkill During Audit, DA Says
A state auditor from Dutchess County assigned to examine an Orange County town’s finances has been arraigned on felony charges after allegedly stealing more than $400,000 in public funds, prosecutors announced.
Tobias Otieno, age 41, of Hyde Park, was arraigned this week on a felony complaint charging him with second-degree grand larceny as a public corruption crime, Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced on Thursday, July 10.
According to Hoovler, Otieno is accused of stealing $405,843.25 from the Town of Wallkill between June 2022 and September 2024, while working as a…
Slow-Moving Transformer Move To Snarl Traffic In Hyde Park, Pleasant Valley, LaGrange
Drivers in Dutchess County are being urged to avoid several major roads Wednesday evening, July 9, as a massive transformer is moved through the area, causing significant delays.
The transport, which began at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 9, will move through Hyde Park, Pleasant Valley, and LaGrange, according to New York State Police.
The slow-moving operation is expected to impact the following routes:
Route 9G;
Crumb Elbow Road;
Netherwood Road;
Salt Point Turnpike;
West Road;
Routes 44 and 55 into LaGrange.
Because of the transformer’s size, utility crews will need to lift …
Man Robs Gas Station At Gunpoint, Flees With $2.5K In Cash In Hyde Park: Police
An armed robbery at a Dutchess County gas station ended with a major arrest thanks to what police called a swift and thorough investigation.
Dalton J. Desimone, 33, of Florida, was taken into custody on Sunday, June 29, after allegedly robbing a Sunoco Gas Station in Hyde Park just three days earlier, the Town of Hyde Park Police Department announced.
The robbery happened around 10:51 p.m. on Thursday, June 26, at the Sunoco station at 4299 Albany Post Rd. Police said Desimone entered the store, took out what appeared to be a black handgun, and demanded cash. He then took off in a…
Puppy Found Starving In Crate After Owner’s Death In Dutchess: SPCA Pleads For Help
A 5-month-old puppy named Cookie is fighting for his life in Dutchess County after being found locked in a crate—alone, starving, and severely dehydrated—days after his owner died, officials said.
According to an announcement from the Hyde Park-based Dutchess County SPCA on Thursday, June 12, Cookie had spent his entire short life confined to a cage, with no walks, no affection, and only scraps of food tossed into his crate.
The tragedy deepened when his owner died suddenly and went undiscovered for several days, leaving Cookie trapped with no food, no water, and no way to escape.&nbs…
These Westchester Cities, Towns Among Top 10 Safest In NY, New Report Says
If you're looking for peace of mind in New York, the Hudson Valley might be the place to be.
According to a new report by Safewise, several communities in the region were ranked among the 10 safest cities in the state for 2025 based on FBI crime data.
The list includes:
Bedford in Westchester County, ranked at No. 1:
Carmel in Putnam County, ranked at No. 2;
Rye in Westchester County, ranked at No. 3;
Hyde Park in Dutchess County, ranked at No. 5;
East Fishkill in Dutchess County, ranked at No. 6;
Scarsdale in Westchester County, ranked at No. 7;
Yorktown in Westchester County, rank…
McDonald's Arrest: Suspicious Homeless Man Caught With Ghost Gun In Hyde Park, Police Say
A man with an active arrest warrant was taken into custody at a McDonald's in Dutchess County, where police say they found him carrying a loaded ghost gun, high-capacity magazines, and knives.
The incident happened on Sunday, March 9, at the McDonald's restaurant in Hyde Park at 4258 Albany Post Rd. (Route 9), when officers responded to a suspicious person report at around 3:30 p.m., according to the Town of Hyde Park Police Department.
When officers arrived, they found 37-year-old Theodore T. Lutz Jr., a homeless man, and began questioning him, police said.
During the conversa…
Hyde Park Martial Arts Instructor Sexually Abused Children Over Several Years: Police
A Dutchess County martial arts instructor has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing multiple children over the course of several years, authorities announced.
Tyler G. Leclerc, age 28, of Hyde Park, was taken into custody on Wednesday, Feb. 5, New York State Police said on Thursday, Feb. 6.
According to authorities, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation at the State Police Poughkeepsie barracks first received a report of child sexual abuse on Friday, Jan. 31. Their investigation uncovered evidence that Leclerc had victimized multiple children over an extended period, police said.
F…
