D.A. ZUGIBE: FELONY CONVICTIONS IN ROCKLAND COUNTY DRUG TASK FORCE WIRETAP CASE

DA’S PRESS RELEASE

Rockland County District Attorney Thomas P. Zugibe today announced that a jury found Aaron Parker (DOB 12/20/85) and Patricia Mortel (DOB 02/26/82), both of 220 Kearsing Parkway, Monsey, New York, guilty of trafficking a large quantity of powdered cocaine into the community.

Parker was found guilty of:
• One count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, a class “A” Felony
• One count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class “B”
Felony

Mortel was found guilty of:
• One count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, a class “A”
Felony.

District Attorney Zugibe said, “These arrests and convictions represent a clear demonstration of my office’s commitment to rid our county of illegal narcotics trafficking and to improve the quality of life of our local residents. Drug dealers should be forewarned – Rockland County is not the place to import illegal narcotics or to sell them.”

On September 15, 2015, at approximately 1:01 a.m., the defendants were stopped by police while traveling in a vehicle on the New York State Thruway in the Town of Clarkstown. The vehicle stop was based on a Rockland County Drug Task Force wiretap investigation. A subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered nearly 300 grams of cocaine.

Parker and Mortel will be sentenced on September 20, 2016.