What's that old expression that everyone and their mother has heard before? "Fool me once, shame you, fool me twice..." you get the point. The expression itself isn't important but the overall idea of it is.

The expression emphasizes that if you have committed wrong doings or in this case, have allegedly committed wrong doings, that you learn from that experience and don't do it again. That evidently did not happen with this recent case being handled by the Dutchess County Drug Task Force.

Early Morning Raid in Poughkeepsie

To fully understand this most recent events, we must first look back to last week where on October 3, 2024, members of the Dutchess County Drug Task Force, Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Services Unit, City of Poughkeepsie Police and New York State Police conducted an early morning raid in the City of Poughkeepsie.

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The raid came as a result of law enforcements investigation to the sale of illegal and dangerous narcotics. The investigation was centered around the area of Main Street between S. Cherry Street and S. Hamilton Street known as the 400 and 500 blocks. Numerous complains had been issued by multiple members of the local community, some saying that sales took place at "all hours of the day".

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In the investigation process, undercover investigators successfully purchased quantities of both cocaine and fentanyl from three separate dealers in the specified area. Those three suspects were identified as 47-year old Ronald L. Davis, 27-year old Bernard Diggs, and 25-year old Leonardo De La Cruz.

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Search warrants were issued for a residence at 407 Main Street, a vehicle, and for Davis, Diggs, and De La Cruz. All three suspects were arrested in addition to law enforcement seizing a large quantity of crack cocaine and fentanyl.

In this instance, this not one of the suspects first encounters with law enforcment. The 47-yeard old Ronald L. Davis was arrested back in May of this year and charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance with intent to sell in the Third Degree. You may read our past coverage of that case with the provided link below.

Related Content: New Arrests for Drug Sales "All Hours of the Day" in Poughkeepsie

Back to the present case at hand; after being arrested all three suspects were later arraigned in the City of Poughkeepsie Court. The following are the charges that each suspect now faces...

Ronald L. Davis

Dutchess County Sheriff's Office
Dutchess County Sheriff's Office
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  • (2) Counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd Degree with intent to sell, a class B Felony
  • (1) Count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd Degree, 1/2 ounce or more, a class B Felony
  • (1)    Count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 4th degree, 1/8 ounce or more, a class C Felony

Leonardo De La Cruz

Dutchess County Sheriff's Office
Dutchess County Sheriff's Office
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  • (1)    Count of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 3rd degree, a Class B Felony

Bernard Diggs

Dutchess County Sheriff's Office
Dutchess County Sheriff's Office
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  • (1) Count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd degree with intent to sell, a class B Felony
  • (1) Count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 4th degree, 1/8 ounce or more, a class C Felony

Following arraignment, Davis was remanded to Dutchess County Jail with no bail. Both De La Cruz and Diggs were ordered to be released.

Second Verse, Same as the First

This brings us to present day where just days after the raids were conducted by the Drug Task Force and other law enforcement, one of the same suspects found himself in hot water once again.

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According to the recent press release from the Dutchess County Government, Drug Task Force Agents started to receive information regarding a person selling narcotics behind the buildings located between 453 Main Street and 458 Main Street. These reports came all most immidiately after the raids conducted on October 3rd.

Once again, agents went undercover and made more successful purchases for more illegal narcotics. It was with these latest purchases that agents confirmed the identity of the dealer to be the 25-year old Leonardo De La Cruz.

Dutchess County Sheriff's Office
Dutchess County Sheriff's Office
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On October 7, 2024, agents arrived on scene to where they had previously purchased from De La Cruz and arrested him again. Investigators in this arrest found De La Cruz to be in possession of a quantity of fentanyl packaged for sale as well as crack cocaine.

Much like before, De LA Cruz was charged and later arraigned in the City of Poughkeepsie Court. De La Cruz this time around has officially been charged with...

  • (1) Count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd degree with intent to sell, a Class B Felony
  • (1) Count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 5th degree, a Class D Felony

Unlike before though, De La Cruz was not released after this latest incident. He was instead remanded to Dutchess County Jail on $75,000 cash bail, $150,000 secured bond, or $250,000 partially secured bond.

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