Drug Shocker: Rockland County Highway Dept foreman accused of using job as cover to sell coke

DA’S PRESS RELEASE

Rockland County District Attorney Thomas P. Zugibe on Mondayย announced the arrest of Bernardย Hughes III, 56 of 4 Trachtenberg Court, West Nyack, New York on one count of Conspiracy inย the Fourth Degree, a class โ€œDโ€ felony.

Hughes, a veteran foreman at the Rockland County Highway Department, is accused ofย trafficking powder and crack cocaine in several local towns and villages during work hours. Onย numerous occasions over the past 12 months, undercover members of the Rockland County Drugย Task Force observed the defendant using a county vehicle to transport and sell several grams ofย cocaine.

The arrest of Hughes stems from an August 9, 2016 federal indictment charging 11ย individuals with trafficking in cocaine and crack cocaine in and around Rockland County. It isย alleged that Hughes was a low-level dealer in the drug trafficking organization led by Jemelย Goode of Congers, New York.

According to the charges, Hughes conspired with a mid-level drug dealer to transport and sellย cocaine in Rockland County. Other amounts of cocaine were purchased by defendant for his ownย personal use.

Said Zugibe, โ€œIn the course of that federal investigation, it was discovered that Hughes wasย involved with Goodeโ€™s cocaine network.โ€

Hughes was arraigned in the Village of West Haverstraw Justice Court by the Honorable Kevinย Russo. He was released on his own recognizance pending a future court date.

He faces up to seven years in state prison if convicted.

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