Police dog uncovers hidden drugs
BY BILL DEMAREST
Joshua Levine, Debra Osborne, Charles Hal
WEST NYACK – The continuing resurgence of the use of heroin was seen in two separate arrests on local highways – the New York State Thruway and the Palisades Interstate Parkway.
New York State Police say that an incident on Thruway in Clarkstown led to the arrest of three Upstate residents on drug charges, and Palisades Interstate Parkway Police in New Jersey say two Rockland County men have been charged in a separate incident on the parkway in Engelwood Cliffs, N.J.
In the Clarkstown incident, a 1998 Dodge Stratus was stopped on the Thruway at about 11:30 p.m. Sunday for traffic violations, police said. An investigation by state troopers led to the discovery of nearly 700 glassine envelopes of heroin and hypodermic needles.
Troopers said police dog “Marty” searched the vehicle and alerted his handler to heroin hidden in a dashboard panel and the center console of the car. The glassine envelopes were stamped with the brand “5 Star.”
The investigation led to the arrest of the car’s driver, Joshua Levine, 36, of Margaretville, NY, and the occupants, Debra Osborne, 31, of Margaretville, and Charles Hall, 41, of Saugerties, NY.
They were charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substances in the Third Degree, a class B felony, and Possession of a Hypodermic Instrument, a class A misdemeanor. Levine was additionally charged with Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs.
Two Charged with Heroin Possession on Parkway in N.J.
In a separate incident, a Nanuet man and aWest Nyack man were charged with heroin possession after they were stopped for a traffic violation, police said.
Palisades Interstate Park Police said Det. Jeff Kimbro and Police Officer Michael Griffin were on patrol in the Palisades Interstate Parkway northbound Sunoco Gas Station in Englewood when they spotted a 2014 Mercedes Benz fail to halt at a stop sign.
Kimbro and Griffin stopped the car just north of the gas station and as they approached the vehicle.
both occupants appeared very nervous when talking with officers and an odor of marijuana was detected coming from within the vehicle, police said.
All three were arraigned in Clarkstown Town Court by Judge Craig Johns and were ordered held in the Rockland County Correctional Facility in New City. Levine was held without bail, Hall was held on $35,000 and Osborne was held on $10,000.
The occupants were asked to exit the vehicle and during the investigation a search was conducted. During the search, Kimbro located 2 hypodermic syringes on the driver, Louis P. Cucolo, 24, of Nanuet, as well as 8 bags of heroin within his underwear, police said.
During a search of the passenger, Tyler J. Scully, 23, of West Nyack, 4 bags of heroin were also located, police said.
Cucolo and Scully were both charged with heroin possession and later released pending a court hearing in New Jersey.
Both occupants were placed into custody and transported to headquarters where they were later processed and ultimately released on their own recognizance.
Originally published by Nyack Free Press. Republished with permission