
Months Long Investigation Leads to Arrest of Ulster County Pair on Drug Charges
In recent years law enforcement agencies throughout the Hudson Valley have spent countless hours investigating dozens upon dozens of cases regarding the sale of illegal and dangerous narcotics throughout the region. Those investigations have lead to the arrests and jailing of countless suspects.
Recently, law enforcement in Ulster County made a major move in an investigation that agents and officers have spent months worth of work on. That move resulted in the arrest of two suspects who now are starring in the face of multiple serious drug charges that carry equally severe penalties.
Ulster Narcotics Team Kingston Investigation
Back in the Summer of 2024, Ulster County law enforcement received multiple complaints from residence about narcotics sales that were happening in the Town of Kingston. Those calls lead to an official investigation being opened by July of 2024.
The investigation was initiated by members of U.R.G.E.N.T, the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team and the New York State Police Special Investigations Unit (NYSP-SIU). Specifically, the investigation was a look into the sales of both cocaine and crack cocaine in the town.
According to the press release issued by the Ulster County Sheriff's Office, investigators identified two suspects as being responsible for selling the dangerous narcotics during the course of a six month investigation. Those individuals were identified as 28-year old Anthony N. Harding Jr of the City of Kingston, and 29-year old Meredith S. McSpirit, of the Town of Kingston.
The report goes on to state that over the course of the six (6) month long investigation, the suspects expanded their distribution into the city of Kingston and other surrounding areas. This all lead to this week where on January 13, 2025, investigators obtained a search warrant for the residence of Harding and McSpirit.
Warrant Executed, Arrests Made and Charges Placed
Investigators wasted no time and executed the obtained warrant that same night of January 13. Upon exercising the warrant, investigators found crack cocaine, cocaine, an unspecified amount of United States currency, ammunition, drug packaging material, and drug paraphernalia were recovered from the residence.
Following the discovery, investigators placed both Harding and McSpirit under arrest where they now face the following charges...
Anthony N. Harding
- Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd degree (4 counts)
- Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd degree (5 counts)
- Conspiracy in the 4th degree (4 counts)
- misdemeanor Criminal Use of Drug Paraphernalia in the 2nd degree
Meredith S. McSpirit
- Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd degree (5 counts)
- Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd degree (4 counts)
- Conspiracy in the 4th degree (4 counts)
- misdemeanor Criminal Use of Drug Paraphernalia in the 2nd degree

After their arrest, both Harding and McSpirit were processed and then released with an appearance ticket that is returnable to the City of Kingston Court on January 31, 2025. The investigation itself still remains open and active as it is expected more arrests will be made in the near future.
We will provide updates for this story if or when that new information is released.
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