MONTICELLO – Early Tuesday morning on November 3, the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office and Monticello Police executed two no-knock search warrants simultaneously at the Sleepy Hollow Housing Development on Forestburgh Road in Monticello.

Just after 4 a.m., the Sheriff’s Emergency Services Unit (ESU) entered building #14 and breached the door to apartment #125. At the same moment, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Group (SOG) entered building #10 and took down the door to apartment #74.

In apartment #74 police arrested Robert Bowser, a/k/a “Ratchet”, age 35, who was found to be in possession of both powder and crack cocaine.

In apartment #125 police arrested Daishawn Crummell a/k/a “Stacks”, age 30, who was found to be in possession of crack cocaine and ecstasy pills (MDMA). Crummell attempted to throw the drugs out of the window when police entered the apartment. Detectives were pre-positioned outside of the building and immediately recovered the evidence.

Both Bowser and Crummell were charged with felony Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to sell, the misdemeanors of Criminal Use of Drug Paraphernalia and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Crummell was also charged with felony Tampering with Physical Evidence. Both defendants were arraigned before Village of Monticello Justice David Mayo.

Bowser, who has two prior felony convictions, was remanded to the Sullivan County Jail without bail. Crumwell, who had no prior felony convictions, was released.

The defendants are scheduled to re-appear in court on Monday, November 9. Bowser was also wanted by the Village of Liberty Police on a larceny charge.

Sheriff Mike Schiff said that the search warrants and arrests were the result of a two-month investigation by the Sheriff’s Gang and Narcotics Intelligence Unit and Monticello Police. He thanked Orange County Sheriff Paul Arteta for sending his SOG team to assist.

“In order for this operation to be successful and to keep both the law enforcement officers and residents safe, two tactical teams hitting both locations at the exact same time were necessary to capitalize on the element of surprise,” Sheriff Schiff said.

Monticello Police Chief David Lindsay said that he, “appreciated the cooperation with the Sheriff’s Office as well as all of the other agencies who participated in the operation.”

Assisting with the investigation were the Sullivan County District Attorney’s Office investigators, Homeland Security Investigations, SCSO K9 unit, HIDTA, Village of Liberty Police, City of Port Jervis Police and Town of Fallsburg Police. The search warrants were prepared by Assistant District Attorney Michael Schulte.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.