Arrest made in drug investigation detective was conducting

By Hayleigh Gowans

Staff Writer

A man has been arrested in connection to a drug investigation that occurred the night of Jan. 23 on Caton Drive in DeWitt, but the two male suspects who shot at a sheriff’s detective are still at large, Onondaga County Sheriff Gene Conway said during a press conference today.

The detective, whose name has not been released, was carrying out surveillance in an unmarked sheriff’s vehicle during a drug investigation the evening of Jan. 23. As the detective sat in an unmarked vehicle at the Springfield Garden apartment complex, two males on foot approached his vehicle and fired multiple shots, nearly striking the detective, Conway said. The suspects fled south on foot through the parking lot after firing shots.

The detective did not suffer any gunshot injuries and quickly drove away from the danger, said Conway, and he also did not fire his weapon. He was brought to a local hospital to be examined for minor injuries sustained from glass fragmentation, but was released later in the night of Jan. 23.

“His instincts took over and he put the vehicle into drive and was able to escape unharmed,” said Conway.

The drug investigation, which involved undercover detectives attempting to purchase heroin from the target of the investigation, resulted in the arrest of Jose Marcano, 31, of Caton Drive in Dewitt. Marcano was arrested and charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third and seventh degrees. He was arraigned on Jan. 24 in the Town of Salina Court and is being held on a bail of $50,000cash/$100,000 bond.

It is unclear if the two suspects, described as wearing dark clothing, were involved with Marcano, said Conway. Multiple law enforcement agencies were at the scene to search for the suspects, and police continue to search. The sheriff’s department is unsure if the suspects used only one gun, or if multiple were used, Conway said.

At the Jan. 24 press conference, Conway said the sheriff’s department is seeking members of the public that may have information about the shooting to come forward.

“We need your help. We have two subjects at large and we know obviously they have at least one handgun, and we know that they shot at this vehicle,” said Conway. “Whether they realized it was a law enforcement vehicle or not really is not relevant in this case. We had two people walk up to a vehicle that was occupied with the sole intent of harming or killing the people inside that vehicle. And that should be a cause of concern for all of us in this community.”

The Springfield Garden Apartments are in close proximity to the Le Moyne College campus and students were notified to remain inside after the incident on Jan. 23, but Conway said there is no connection to the college.

Conway also addressed the other drug related crimes that have occurred in and around the Springfield Garden Apartment complex in the past, with the most recent one being the death of a international Syracuse University student Yuan Xiaopeng, 23. In September, Xiaopeng was shot and killed during a “drug deal gone wrong,” and two men have since been arrested for the murder.

Conway said he does not believe there to be any connection between these crimes, but said it shows the severity of the drug epidemic in the county.

“At the moment, I cannot tell you there is any clear connection, however, the fact that we’ve had such serious incidents occur at that complex over the last several months in certainly a cause for concern and certainly as evidence by last night we have crimes being committed by people that reside there, or frequently visit there,” said Conway.

If you have any information you think may be pertinent to the sheriff’s department, call 435-3081 or send an anonymous tip via Tip411.