The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a Grahamsville man after a year long investigation into illegal marijuana cultivation and distribution in the Town of Fallsburg.

Ralph A. Castelli, 48, of Birch Road in Grahamsville was arrested Thursday (06/18/15) after he was stopped in a Verizon Telephone Company truck. He was in possession of a garbage bag of marijuana plant clippings and packaged marijuana. Castelli is an employee of Verizon.

The Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and Town of Fallsburg Police then executed a search warrant at 42 Renner Road in Mountaindale where they found a substantial marijuana growing operation. Authorities recovered 159 plants totaling over 20 pounds along with associated growing equipment and fertilizer.

“Mr. Castelli had an interesting operation going”, said Sullivan County Sheriff Mike Schiff. “He used his Verizon work truck as a cover to make deliveries around Sullivan County”. Sheriff’s Deputies and Homeland Security Agents had been tracking Ralph Castelli’s activities over the last 12 months.

They believe Castelli also shipped marijuana to several destinations within the United States via FedEx. Ralph Castelli was charged with Possession of Marijuana in the First Degree, a Felony and Unlawfully Growing Cannabis, a Misdemeanor.

He was arraigned before Town of Fallsburg Judge Ivan Kalter and sent to the Sullivan County Jail in lieu of $15,000 cash bail or $25,000 bond. He is due back in court on June 23, 2015 at 5:30 pm. The Sullivan County District Attorney’s Office assisted in the investigation and prepared the search warrant.