District Attorney Hoovler: Repeat Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty, Faces 10 Years
Joshua Conklin Pled Guilty to Two Counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree
Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Monday, September 15, 2025, Joshua Conklin, 39, of Port Jervis, pled guilty in Orange County Court to two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree. Under the plea agreement announced on the record at the time that Conklin pled guilty, it is expected that he will be sentenced to ten (10) years in prison to be followed by three (3) years of post-release supervision when he is sentenced on November 24, 2025.
As alleged in documents filed and statements made in court, on December 18, 2024 at approximately 3:34 a.m., members of the Town of Newburgh Police Department made a traffic stop of a vehicle that Conklin was operating on North Plank Road. During the stop, the police learned that Conklin did not have a driver’s license. Conklin was directed out of the vehicle afterthe police observed what appeared to be narcotics inside the vehicle. The police later recovered narcotics from Conklin’s person, including a quantity of fentanyl and over forty (40) grams of cocaine.
While that matter was pending, as alleged in documents filed and statements made in court, a joint investigation by the City of Port Jervis Police Department, the Orange County Drug Task Force, and the Town of Deerpark Police Department was conducted into narcotics sales in and around the areas of Port Jervis and Deerpark. As a result of the investigation, a judicially-authorized search warrant was executed on residences in Port Jervis and Deerpark on April 1, 2025. At the residence in Port Jervis, police recovered from Conklin’s bedroom scales used in narcotics trafficking. At the Deerpark residence where Conklin was present, police recovered fentanyl and approximately twenty-four (24) grams of cocaine.
At the plea proceedings, Conklin admitted to knowingly and unlawfully possessing one half ounce or more of cocaine in both cases.
District Attorney Hoovler thanked the Town of Newburgh Police Department as well as the City of Port Jervis Police Department, the Orange County Drug Task Force, and the Town of Deerpark Police Department for their investigations which led to the arrests of Conklin.
“Notwithstanding the revolving door that bail reform laws havecreated for dangerous drug dealers to continue their crimes, my Office is as committed as ever to seeing these cases through to a just disposition,” said District Attorney David M. Hoovler. “Law enforcement will not cease the tireless pursuit of poison peddlerswho imperil the citizens of Orange County. I thank the police agencies responsible for the dedicated investigations which resulted in this defendant’s two arrests and subsequent convictions.”
The cases are being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Alexis Gregory and Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Pietropaolo.
A criminal charge is merely an allegation 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.