"It's like Deja vu all over again". This famous expression is attributed to New York Yankee's and baseball legend Yogi Berra and has been commonly referred to as a Yogi-ism.

While I could go on endlessly about baseball and the Yankees, the expression is relevant to today's story because once again members of the New York State Troopers executed a routine traffic stop, this time in Orange County, and were successful in seizing a large number quantity of illegal narcotics off the streets and taking the suspect into custody.

Cocaine in Cornwall

If the bold font above wasn't obvious enough, the recent event took place in the Town of Cornwall. According to the press release from the New York State Police, the incident took place during the late afternoon hours of Thursday October 10, 2024.

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At approximately 4:25pm, members of the Troop F Community Stabilization Unit (CSU) reportedly observed a white 2018 Audi Q7 traveling north on Interstate 87 in the town of Cornwall. Troopers engaged with and began pursuit of the vehicle due to it being in "violation of numerous New York vehicle and traffic laws".

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Troopers were successful in pulling the vehicle over and began an investigation of the vehicle, which started with identifying the driver. The driver was identified as 41-year old  Anthony Johnson of Kingston.

Troopers then began what was called a "probable cause search" of the vehicle with some added assistance from canine Moran. In the search, Troopers discovered a hidden jackpot of 1 kilo of cocaine. In addition, Troopers also discovered over $7,000 in cash ($7,739 specifically).

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Following the discovery, Johnson was taken into custody where he was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 1st degree and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd degree, both felonies. Afterward Johnson was remanded to the Orange County Jail.

Potential Punishment for Charges

It goes without saying that felony charges are no laughing matter and if convicted the punishment, penalty, however, you want to define it could be costly. The 3rd degree possession charge if convicted comes with a maximum penalty of 25 years and a minimum of 5 years as well as a potential fine.

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The first degree possession charge can yield a much harsher penalty if convicted. In the state of New York, Criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree is one of the most serious crimes in the New York Penal Codes. A guilty conviction can lead to a life sentence behind bars and a fine of up to $100,000.

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Sentencing in cases like these can also be affected based on whether or not the accused has any prior offenses on their record. If prior offenses have been committed, then punishment for new offenses could be higher and likewise if the accused has no priors then punishment could be less severe.

Similar Content: Traffic Stop Leads to Major Drug Bust and Arrest of Three Men in Westchester

The press release did not state when Johnson is expected to be in court for these offenses. A number of cases just like this have occurred in recent months throughout the Hudson Valley, with most recent occurrence happening just a week prior in Ardsley, part of Westchester County. You may read our coverage of that case in the link above.

Most Dangerous Regions To Drive In New York State

The New York State Comptroller's office also released the vehicle fatality rate by each New York region. The list was formed by figuring out the fatality rate in 2022 per 100,000 people.

Update: These Are Now The Top 10 Most Stolen Cars In New York

The NICB reports vehicle theft rates continue to increase. These are the most common vehicles that are getting stolen.

New York's 5 Most Common Crimes

If you ever wondered what type of crime is most common in New York State, personal injury law firm Gruber Law Offices found out exactly that.

Using the latest statistics from the United States Bureau of Justice, they identified the 5 crimes that are reported most in the state.

Gallery Credit: Megan

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