Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler and City of Port Jervis Police Chief William Worden Announce Arrest in Illegal Firearm Investigation
Defendant Charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree
Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler and City of Port Jervis Police Chief William Worden announced that Brian Negrette, 40, of Huguenot, was arrested on January 2, 2025, and charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree. Negrette was held pending arraignment on the charges.
An investigation by the City of Port Jervis Police Department resulted in the execution of a judicially-authorized search warrant at a residence in the Town of Deerpark. During the warrant execution, law enforcement recovered contraband including a .223 caliber semi-automatic AR 15 style assault rifle with a defaced serial number, a semi-automatic 9mm pistol with no serial number, as well as a sawed-off pistol grip shotgun and assorted firearms components.
Other law enforcement agencies who provided crucial aid in this investigation included the Town of Deerpark Police Department, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the Orange County Drug Task Force, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Group, and the New York State Police Explosive Unit.
“The illegal possession of guns is the enabling force behind narcotics trafficking and accordant violence in Orange County,” said District Attorney David M. Hoovler. “In order to disrupt these dangerous practices, law enforcement must work collaboratively to investigate the source of these deadly weapons. I commend the work of the City of Port Jervis Police Department, as well as all of the agencies involved in this investigation and the arrest of the defendant today. We remain committed to holding those who illegally possess firearms accountable.”
City of Port Jervis Police Chief William Worden said, “Today’s arrest highlights the significance of collaboration among various law enforcement agencies in ensuring the safety of our communities. I am very proud of the outstanding work performed by the detectives, officers, and prosecutors assigned to this case over the past several months, which resulted in the seizure of these weapons and the arrest of the defendant.”
Chief Richard J. Sztyndor of the Town of Deerpark Police Department said “The safety of our community is important to us. Ensuring that is a collaboration between us and our law enforcement partners. Working together has made the Deerpark/Port Jervis Community safer and highlights the relationships of all of the agencies involved working together. I commend the hard work and dedication shown by the investigators, from every agency, in bringing this to a successful close.”
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Alexis Gregory.
A criminal charge is merely an allegation by the police that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.