Delaware County Grand Jury Hands Down Several Sealed Indictments

Today, Sheriff Craig S. DuMond announced that a Delaware County Grand Jury handed down several Sealed Indictments Thursday afternoon, December 13, 2018, after considering evidence relating to three separate narcotics trafficking investigations conducted in the Grand Gorge, Roxbury and the Village of Delhi areas by members of the Delaware County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division. Sealed Indictment Arrest Warrants issued by the Delaware Count Court Thursday afternoon were executed Thursday evening and Friday morning by Sheriff’s Investigators and Deputies.

As a result, the following individuals were arrested on those Sealed Indictment Warrants:

Ramar Hassell, 50, of Delhi, NY. He has been charged with two class B felony offenses of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree. He is accused of selling quantities of Heroin in the Village of Delhi during October of this year.

Valerie L. Alexander, 54, of Delhi, NY. She has been charged with one class B felony offenses of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree. She is also accused of selling quantities of Heroin in the Village of Delhi during October of this year.

In addition, Hassell, Alexander and 25 year old William J. Effner, of Delhi, were also indicted by the Grand Jury on a number of charges as the result of the execution of a search warrant at a Meredith Street, Delhi, residence on November 5th and their subsequent arrests that day by members of the Delaware County Sheriff's Office. A search of that residence that day led to the seizure of more than one half (1/2) ounce of bulk packaged heroin and three bundles (thirty bags) of packaged heroin having an estimated street value in excess of $5,000.00, a quantity of marijuana, a scale and drug packaging paraphernalia.

Hassell was indicted on charges of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony; Resisting Arrest, a class A misdemeanor; and Unlawful Possession of Marijuana, a violation. Alexander was indicted on a charge of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree. Effner was indicted on charges of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and Criminally Possessing a Hypodermic Instrument, a class A misdemeanor.

Hassell, Alexander and Effner were arrested Friday morning in the Delaware County Correctional Facility where they have been held by court order since their arrests on November 5, 2018.

Lorelei A. Hayden, 53, of Grand Gorge, NY. She has been charged with one class B felony offense of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and one class C felony offense of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree. Hayden is accused of selling quantities of Oxycodone (a narcotic drug) and Hydrocodone (a narcotic preparation) from her Grand Gorge residence during January of this year.

Michael V. Johnson, 27, of Roxbury, NY. He has been charged with three class C felony offenses of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree. Johnson is accused of selling quantities of Suboxone from his Roxbury residence during April of this year.

Each of the defendants were arraigned in Delaware County Court on Friday afternoon before County Court Judge Richard D. Northrup, Jr., who remanded Hassell, Alexander, Effner and Johnson to the Delaware County Correctional Facility to be held without bail pending further court action. Hayden was remanded to the DCCF in lieu of $10,000.00 cash bail or $20,000.00 bond.