The New York State Police have arrested a father and son for drug dealing in the towns of Catskill and Cairo. The police announced that the arrests capped an eight-month investigation into the sale of heroin in those two towns located in Greene County. The authorities brought drug charges against the 25-year-old son on Feb. 23 and the 41-year-old father on Feb. 28.
The authorities obtained and executed a search warrant at the son’s residence in Catskill where they allegedly found heroin, scales and packaging. They also claim to have found a dagger. They charged the man with possession with the intent to sell heroin and four felony counts of selling a controlled substance. The charges included a misdemeanor weapons charge.
The police charged the father with one count of criminal possession of heroin with the intent to sell and one count of selling heroin. The investigation involved the New York State Police, the Greene County District Attorney and other local police authorities. In order to charge the defendants with the actual sale of heroin, the police must have witnessed or conducted sales transactions with the accused.
This could have been through an undercover agent or by way of apprehending one or more of the defendants’ alleged customers. In either event, the prosecution must present the testimony and supportive evidence of those agents or witnesses in order to convict for heroin sales. Possession with intent to sell can be proved based on the possession of the drug and surrounding circumstances such as the volume possessed and the presence of weighing and packaging materials. Such drug charges are also subject to scrutiny of the police procedures to determine whether the authorities acted constitutionally throughout the process.
Source: newyorkupstate.com, “Police: Upstate NY father and son heroin dealing duo arrested after investigation“, Ben Axelson, March 5, 2018
