Two facing charges in local heroin case
By RICHARD NILSEN, The Leader-HeraldAMSTERDAM - Two men who police said had 30 bags of heroin in their motel room were arrested Monday.
City police said Zachary Obrien, of 44 Milton Ave., and Kenneth Thomas of the Bronx, both 24, were charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Police said at 4 p.m., city detectives working with a New York State Police Community Narcotics Enforcement Teams unit were doing surveillance in the area of Church Street.
Police said they saw an exchange of what appeared to be drugs take place on the street.
Uniformed officers stopped Obrien near the Fourth Avenue Bridge, police said.
Obrien agreed to be patted down, and officers found three packages of heroin on him, police said.
Obrien was taken into custody.
Police said Obrien also had a key to a motel room at the Valley View Motor Inn.
Officers went to the motel room and found Thomas.
Thomas signed a waiver to let officers search the room. Officers found a substantial amount of crack cocaine and about 30 bags of heroin there, police said.
Thomas was taken into custody.
Police said in addition to the crack (approximately 3 ounces) and heroin, several hundred dollars in cash was recovered.
Obrien had been issued an appearance ticket Sept. 1 for seventh- degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, police said.
He will be arraigned on that charge as well, police said.
Detective Lt. Thomas DiMezza said Obrien and Thomas had told the owners of the Valley View Motel they were students at Fulton-Montgomery Community College.
While officers were checking in Obrien at the booking rail of the Police Department, an officer saw Obrien reach in his pants and grab something, police said.
Obrien then put the substance in his mouth and swallowed it, police said.
Officers were unable to retrieve what he swallowed, police said.
Obrien was kept under observation until he could be seen by the judge, police said.
DiMezza said Thomas and Obrien have previous arrest records.
"These two were not new to the criminal justice system," DiMezza said.
They were being held in the city lockup today until they could be arraigned. Montgomery County District Attorney Jed Conboy helped with the case, police said.
Richard Nilsen is a general assignment reporter and can be reached at ga@leaderherald.com.
|
butterfly1
|
|
|---|---|
|
09-18-08 6:36 AM
|
Onesies2 - As you stated "I don't know the ins and outs of police searching techniques" so it appears you are not in a position to judge these officers. As far as these "thugs" not being dangerous, how ignorant is that? Who do you think is selling drugs to the children on the street? Which then causes more thefts to earn money to feed their addiction? LOL, yeah you're right not dangerous at all.........Extremely harmless.......
|
|
Wilkie
|
|
|
09-17-08 11:29 AM
|
Hey Onesies...why on earth would "you have ever been in a position to have to conduct an actual pat search"?...unless of course they are counting trips to Copperheads!
|
|
Onesies2
|
|
|
09-17-08 10:13 AM
|
Right on InnocentParty. These idiots are harmless
|
|
Onesies2
|
|
|
09-17-08 10:06 AM
|
Sorry butterfly, I'm not common street trash who gets arrested on a weekly basis so I dont know the ins and outs of police searching techniques. I applaud their work in catching these thugs, just wondering how the guy can still have drugs on him in the police station
|
|
InnocentParty
|
|
|
09-17-08 12:00 AM
|
Oh please! I worry more about the little wannabe gangsta hoodlum teenagers hanging out smashing windows and breaking into vehicles than I do about 2 drug dealers residing at the Valley View Motel. If they're residing at the Valley View, they certainly aren't doing much business with their drug sales.
|
|
butterfly1
|
|
|
09-16-08 7:02 PM
|
Onesies2, it was a PAT search not a STRIP search. Obviously, there are areas on a person not accessible during a PAT search. One has to wonder if you ever have been in a position to have to conduct an actual pat search. Nice Job supporting your local police department who got these dangerous drug dealers off the street for you and your family.
|
|
FireKatt
|
|
|
09-16-08 5:13 PM
|
I wonder if these two got started by burglarizing homes and cars and churches?
|
|
RizziBear
|
|
|
09-16-08 4:28 PM
|
These two need to attend more church oriented activities. They just fell in with a bad crowd. It only looks like they are street level ****** dealers operating out of a seedy motel. They are really the citizens of tomorrow that will be there to support us and our social security during our golden years.
|
|
Onesies2
|
|
|
09-16-08 12:32 PM
|
Obrien then put the substance in his mouth and swallowed it, police said. Officers were unable to retrieve what he swallowed, police said. Nice job patting them down!
|
|
Bill
|
|
|
09-16-08 11:41 AM
|
Good work
|