Sentencing in 'Operation Co-Co' Ulster County Drug Trafficking

Beginning in January 2019 several units including the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team (URGENT), Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) began investigating a cocaine-trafficking organization in Saugerties, with the investigation being referred to as “Operation Co-Co”.

Hudson Valley Post reported that number of arrests were made in July of 2020, with the leader of the ring identified as Russell J. Neglia of Saugerties From our coverage of those arrests, according to police Neglia and his co-conspirator, Roger W. Hummer II, 38, also of Saugerties, received cocaine from an individual later identified as Michael A. Manor, 38, of Teaneck, NJ, and re-distributing it throughout Ulster and Greene Counties.

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On January 14, 2022, Neglia was sentenced to 21 months in prison for his involvement with the drug trafficking organization. In addition to his prison time, as part of his sentence, U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also ordered Neglia to serve a 3-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, pay a $15,000 fine and forfeit approximately $19,000 in drug proceeds and two vehicles used in furtherance of his cocaine trafficking.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office News Release, as part of his plea, Neglia admitted that between January 2019 and March 2020, he sold at least 1.8 kilograms of cocaine on behalf of the organization.

Back in 2020, investigators from HSI and URGENT executed three search warrants for residences in Saugerties and Southern Greene County related to a cocaine and marijuana trafficking organization. Investigators seized over two kilograms of cocaine, 125 pounds of marijuana, $68,000 in drug proceeds, three vehicles used to traffic drugs, and one firearm.

In addition to Neglia, Michael A. Manor, age 40 was sentenced to a 60 month prison term with 4 years supervised release for a guilty plea in connection with the conspiracy. Roger W. Hummer, II, 39, pled guilty in connection with the conspiracy and faces 10 years to life.

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