2 people charged in Middletown narcotics; firearms bust

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Two people are facing charges following a narcotics and firearms bust in the City of Middletown that police say uncovered a cache of items, including a Tec-9 assault weapon, thousands of grams of cocaine and thousands of dollars in ill-gotten proceeds. Police arrested 52-year-old Thedford Browning and 33-year-old Alexandra Feliz-Matos, both of Middletown, on Thursday. Authorities say search warrants at three locations in Middletown, two residences and a storage unit, turned up 3,600 grams of cocaine, $46,000 in cash and five illegal firearms. “These five illegal handguns could have unleashed untold horrors within our city, and I am thankful for the diligent work of all of the investigators,” says Middletown Police Chief John Ewanciw. “We all know someone who has either lost their life or has suffered irreversibly harm as a result of illegal drug use. We must continue to aggressively pursue the individuals who bring this poison into our communities and hold them accountable for their actions.” The suspects are each facing drug charges and Browning, who police say is a three-time felon, was also charged with criminal possession of a weapon. Both were remanded to Orange County Jail. Authorities say the arrest were the result of a two-year investigation into the trafficking and sale of fentanyl and cocaine in the Middletown area. Anyone with information regarding narcotics or weapons-related activity in the City of Middletown are asked to contact police at 845-343-3151 or via their anonymous narcotics tip line at 845-346-4009. "