Cazenovia Village Police officers made a string of narcotics-related arrests last week, that included not just violations for marijuana, but possession of brown heroin and crack cocaine with intent to sell.
Three of the four arrests were made after village police conducted routine traffic stops that resulted in searches of the suspect’s person or vehicle, and the subsequent discovery of narcotics.
“It’s normal business,” said Cazenovia Police Chief Michael Hayes. “There’s nothing you can’t buy in any major city you can’t buy here. It’s here — it’s part of our world.”
The major narcotics arrest last week occurred on Wednesday, Oct. 8, when Cazenovia police stopped Jonathan R. Dennis, 33, of Syracuse, on Albany Street for driving with a headlight out and his license plate lamps out. According to the police report, Dennis, upon being pulled over, told the officer that his license was suspended and there may be an arrest warrant out for him for failure to appear in court. He also admitted he had marijuana in his car.
Upon searching Dennis’ vehicle, officers found four bags of brown heroin (.5 grams), five bags of crack cocaine (2.3 grams) with multiple “dime bags,” 6.6 grams of marijuana, a black and silver three-blade knife and one can of pepper spray, according to the police report.
Dennis was arrested and charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, unlawful possession of marijuana, criminal possession of a weapon and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the second degree. He was also ticketed for driving without a license and no plate lamps.
Dennis was arraigned before Cazenovia Village Judge Timothy Moore and remanded to Madison County Jail on bail of $20,000 cash or $40,000 bond.
The second substantial narcotics arrest by village police last week occurred when Bradley P. Hill, 26, of Jamesville, was pulled over on Tuesday, Oct. 7, for having an expired inspection sticker on his car. It was subsequently discovered that he had a revoked driver’s license for a conviction of driving while ability impaired, according to the police report.
While searching Hill’s person, police officers found marijuana in his pocket; a search of Hill’s vehicle uncovered two mason jars containing a total of 13.7 grams of marijuana, as well as two glass smoking pipes, according to the police report.
Hill was arrested for unlawful possession of marijuana and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the second degree. He was also ticketed for uninspected motor vehicle.
The other two narcotics arrests by Cazenovia police last week concerned possession of marijuana in small, personal-use amounts.
On Oct. 6, police pulled over a vehicle for speeding on Albany Street and, upon approaching the driver’s window, officers smelled the odor of marijuana from inside the car. A vehicle search found two roaches containing approximately.1 grams of marijuana on the car’s center console, according to the police report. Both occupants of the car — Tajuana C. Paul, 18, of Syracuse, and Lynn Nguyen, 19, of Syracuse, were arrested for unlawful possession of marijuana.
At 5 a.m. on Oct. 4, Cazenovia police officers saw five males walking up Nelson Street from the Xpress Mart, when one of the males had a glass smoking pipe he placed on the ground as the police officers drove past, according to the police report. The officers stopped and the suspect, Jacob J. Holcomb, 19, of Eaton, admitted the pipe was his, the report stated. Holcomb was arrested for unlawful possession of marijuana.
Jason Emerson is editor of the Cazenovia Republican. He can be reached at [email protected].
