NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (June 5, 2026) — A New Rochelle man was arraigned Wednesday on felony drug and weapons charges following his arrest the same day, according to court and custody records.
Joel Antonio DeJesus, 35, of New Rochelle, was arrested June 4, 2026, by the New Rochelle City Police Department and arraigned that afternoon before Judge Jared R. Rice in New Rochelle City Court. He pleaded not guilty and is being held at the Westchester County Department of Correction in Valhalla.
DeJesus faces seven counts. The top charges are two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree (PL 220.21), an A felony, each alleging possession of crack cocaine in a quantity of eight ounces or more. He also faces three counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree with Intent to Sell (PL 220.16), a B felony, also involving crack cocaine.
On the weapons side, DeJesus is charged with one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree — Loaded Firearm (PL 265.03), a C felony, and one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree — Ammunition Clip (PL 265.02), a D felony.
Under New York law, the two top charges — Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree — are A felonies, the most serious felony classification in the state, each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The three counts of third-degree possession with intent to sell are B felonies, carrying up to nine years each. The loaded firearm charge is a C felony carrying up to 15 years, and the ammunition clip charge is a D felony carrying up to seven years. First-degree drug possession requires proof of possession of eight ounces or more of a narcotic — a threshold that reflects the scale of alleged drug trafficking activity.
UPDATED: We obtained the arrest report under a FOIL request. DeJesus was arrested at 7:30 a.m. on Sickles Avenue by the New Rochelle Police Department. The charges filed in New Rochelle City Court differ from those listed in the arrest report, indicating the Westchester County District Attorney’s office upgraded the charges before arraignment. The two top counts — Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree (PL 220.21), an A felony alleging possession of eight ounces or more of crack cocaine — do not appear in the original arrest report. The court filing also added a charge of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree — Loaded Firearm (PL 265.03), a C felony, which was not among the arrest charges. Conversely, a charge of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree — Previous Conviction (PL 265.02 01) that appeared in the arrest report was not included in the court filing. The arrest report lists DeJesus’s current address as unknown. DeJesus faces a total of seven felony counts as filed in court.
UPDATED: We obtained court records from the Appellate Division, Third Department (Albany) which show DeJesus has a prior criminal history involving both drugs and weapons. In 2022, he pleaded guilty in Albany County Court to attempted criminal possession of a firearm in the second degree and was sentenced to three years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision. He was adjudicated a second felony offender in that case based on a prior New Jersey conviction for possession of heroin with intent to distribute. The Appellate Division, Third Department affirmed that adjudication in August 2025, less than a year before his June 4 arrest in New Rochelle. A search of the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision incarceration and parole lookup databases returned no record for DeJesus, and a DOCCS representative confirmed by telephone that he does not appear in their system. It could not be immediately determined whether DeJesus was on post-release supervision at the time of his New Rochelle arrest.
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DeJesus was booked into the Westchester County jail on June 4 and remains in custody.
His next court appearance is scheduled for June 22, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in New Rochelle City Court for further proceedings.
This article was prepared with the assistance of AI tools under the direction and editing of Robert Cox.
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