KINGSTON, NY—On Friday, December 13, 2024, Kevin Drake, age 34, of Kingston, was sentenced to a total of sixteen years in State Prison with five years post release supervision before the Honorable Bryan E. Rounds. Drake’s sentence follows convictions on multiple indictments charging him with serious narcotics trafficking in Ulster County and surrounding areas between 2020 and 2022. He was also sentenced for felony Driving While Intoxicated. 

Drake had pleaded guilty to four of the indictments and was awaiting final sentence when an investigation into narcotics trafficking in the Ulster County Jail resulted in a fifth indictment for conspiracy at the beginning of the year. The conduct and legal disposition of the cases are outlined below; the resulting sentence of 16 years in state prison is a result of tenacious pursuit of accountability by our local law enforcement agencies and the Office of the Ulster County District Attorney for one of Ulster County’s dangerous drug traffickers. 

Driving While Intoxicated Docket 

In May 2022, Kevin Drake was indicted for Driving While Intoxicated as a Felony for his July 14, 2021 reckless and intoxicated driving resulting in a foot chase by Kingston Police Department Officers. Drake pleaded guilty to the top count of Driving While Intoxicated on March 23, 2023; he was sentenced to one-and-one-third to four years in State Prison concurrent to his other sentences.

New York State Attorney General’s Case

On June 15, 2022, Drake and 11 others were arraigned on a 275-count indictment as part of an extensive investigation into bulk trafficking of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, and other narcotic drugs and controlled substances, as well as illegal firearms in Ulster County, Dutchess County, Saratoga County and elsewhere both in and outside of New York State.  This investigation was conducted by Ulster County Sheriff’s Office and the URGENT taskforce, with the assistance of the Dutchess County Drug Task Force, New York State Police Special Investigations Unit, Homeland Security Investigations – Hudson Valley Office, and the United States Probation Department.  Among the items recovered over the course of the investigation were more than ten kilograms of cocaine, thousands of pressed pills containing heroin and methamphetamines, one fully automatic assault rifle, FN SCAR assault rifle, FN PS90 assault weapon, numerous high-capacity magazines, and over $100,000 in United States Currency.  On March 23, 3023, Drake pleaded guilty to Criminal Possession of a Narcotic Drug in the Fourth Degree, a class C Felony, in a prosecution that was handled by the New York State Attorney General’s Office. Drake was sentenced to five years’ State Prison with three years post-release supervision, to run concurrent to his other sentences.

New York State VGNET (Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team) Cases

In addition to his drug trafficking case handled by the Attorney General, Drake was again charged in two separate indictments for narcotics trafficking in connection to a State Police VGNET investigation. On these cases, Drake received two eight-year sentences to run consecutively as a second felony offender with five years’ post-release supervision. On June 8, 2022, following surveillance for narcotics trafficking, members of the New York State Police VGNET executed a search warrant at 69 ½ Greenkill Avenue in the City of Kingston and recovered fentanyl, crack cocaine, and other narcotics and drug paraphernalia. In November 2023, Drake was indicted on two counts of Criminal Possession of Controlled Substance with Intent To Sell, and Criminal Possession of Controlled Narcotics, both serious Class B Felony charges, along with several other narcotics related crimes. On March 23, 3023, Drake pleaded guilty to Criminal Possession of a Narcotic Drug in the Fourth Degree, a class C Felony; he was sentenced to 8 years in State Prison with 5 years’ post-release supervision to run consecutively to all his other sentences.  In April 2023, Drake was indicted on charges of serious narcotics trafficking arising from investigations conducted by New York State Police Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team in October of 2020. The Team executed numerous search warrants and recovered large quantities of narcotics. Drake pleaded guilty to Attempted Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance on November 17, 2023 and was sentenced to Eight Years in State Prison with five years post-release supervision to run concurrent to his other sentences.

Ulster County Sheriff Investigation of Jail Drug Trafficking

Drake was again implicated in a January 2024 investigation by the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office regarding the trafficking of narcotics and other contraband in the Ulster County Jail. The investigation yielded 650 doses of Suboxone with jail-sale value of $32,500.  Officers additionally discovered about $16,000 in commissary and Cash App funds associated with the trafficking operation. Police identified 11 suspects, including Kevin Drake, in that operation. Drake was subsequently indicted for Conspiracy in connection to these activities. Because Drake engaged in this conduct while awaiting sentencing on the other matters, he has exposure to enhanced sentence at his next appearance.

Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa said, “The Ulster County Sheriff’s Office commends the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office in the prosecution of Kevin Drake. While incarcerated at the Ulster County Jail, Drake distributed illegal narcotics and laundered money using the commissary system. His total disregard of life and safety to our Corrections staff and other incarcerated individuals was appalling. Colonel Anthony Maggio, the Corrections Division and Detectives conducted an extensive investigation that led to these arrests. Let this be a reminder that committing more crimes while incarcerated has its consequences.”

Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel C. Nneji said, “Kevin Drake and his cohorts have been intimately involved in the dangerous drug market that has harmed so many and cost so much in this County. This Office and our local law enforcement agencies will continue to work together to identify and prosecute these traffickers whose activities undoubtedly devastate lives and security in the community.”

These matters were prosecuted by Chief of Investigations William Weishaupt, Assistant District Attorneys Tara Waters and Sohil Sharedalal. Defendant was represented by Kingston Attorney Cappy Weiner.