Four drivers charged after cocaine found in Thruway service area

New York State Police arrested four drivers on the Thruway in Newburgh on October 26, 2026, after recovering a pound of cocaine discarded from their vehicle during a traffic stop.

The bust occurred at the Plattekill Service Area. Troopers from SP Newburgh and Troop T initiated the stop at 1:03 p.m. when they observed a 2016 Hyundai driving northbound in violation of traffic laws. Before the car fully stopped, a passenger threw a plastic bag from the window. Field tests confirmed the bag held 544 grams of cocaine.

The driver, Junaid A. Khan, 28, of Peru, New York, faced charges for criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree and third degree with intent to sell. He also received charges for vehicle and traffic law violations.

Passenger Phillip Earl Preyear, 29, of Jersey City, New Jersey, was charged with first and third degree possession with intent to sell. Police added a felony charge for tampering with physical evidence, likely referencing the discarded bag.

The other two passengers, Katelynn Goheens, 36, and Kassie E. King, 32, both of Plattsburgh, New York, faced similar possession charges. Goheens also received a misdemeanor charge for seventh degree possession.

All four defendants were arraigned in Newburgh Town Court and remanded to the Orange County Jail. Troop F’s Violent Gang Narcotics Enforcement Team assisted with the investigation.

The group is scheduled to return to Newburgh Town Court on November 10, 2026.