MALONE — A dozen people, including a mother and son, were charged with drug dealing Wednesday in a police sweep through Franklin and St. Lawrence counties.
Catherine Tambini-Dustin, 46, and her son, Shawn Dustin, 23, both of Fort Covington, were among those taken into custody during the roundup, conducted by the State Police and several law-enforcement agencies involved with the Franklin County Border and Narcotics Task Force.
Those charged were individuals targeted in separate cases during the last eight months and not part of an organized drug-trafficking network, said Franklin County District Attorney Derek Champagne.
“We had heroin, cocaine and prescription drugs,” he said. “Some of these people were allegedly selling their scripts, some are convicted felons allegedly selling drugs to make a profit, and some are frequent offenders.”
‘SOLD PRESCRIPTIONS’
A similar roundup was made in June, when 18 people were charged with prescription-drug peddling.
Another arrest was pending from Wednesday, and the person was expected to surrender to troopers.
Many of those arrested were either relatives or family friends.
During a news conference at the State Police barracks in Malone, State Police Troop B Commander Maj. Richard Smith said that many of those in custody receive public-assistance benefits and that the drugs they sold were purchased through prescriptions paid for by Medicaid, which is funded by taxpayers through the counties’ departments of social services.
A single Oxycodone pill could sell on the streets for $1 per milligram, while Subutex and Subutex in strip form can go from $30 to $40 each, said Malone Village Police Chief Chris Premo.
He said the dealers, who were in treatment and supposed to be using prescriptions to kick their own addictions, were selling off their pills to make money.
In order to appear to a caseworker that they were still taking their required drugs and prove it by having the substance detected in their body, the dealer would simply buy back a dose before their known test date to achieve the desired results, Premo said.
DRUG DROP BOXES
The 12 people arrested were at the County Jail on Wednesday, and Sheriff Kevin Mulverhill said 85 to 90 percent of his inmate population is behind bars either convicted or charged with drug dealing or for committing crimes to make money to buy drugs.
He said he has 14 cells for females but had more than 30 women in custody, so many of them would have to be boarded out to other facilities, including the Essex County Jail in Lewis.
“That should help the budget in Essex County,” Mulverhill said, since an overcrowded county pays its neighbor at least $85 a day to house each inmate.
The sheriff said people who have prescription drugs that they are no longer required to take should get rid of them so others will not steal or sell them.
Free drop boxes are situated at the County Jail, the State Police headquarters in Ray Brook and the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police Department for anyone who wants to rid themselves of unused prescriptions anonymously.
Mulverhill said marijuana used to be the “gateway drug,” leading some to harder drugs.
But he said prescription medication, which is so readily available is now, is often the first drug tried before users move on to cocaine or heroin.
The sheriff said the idea that heroin is making its way into Franklin County is troubling because its use was unheard of here a generation or two ago.
‘STAVING OFF METH LABS’
St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police Deputy Chief Brian Barnes said he has seen an increase in thefts, but instead of big-ticket, large-size items, thieves are now going for jewelry and other valuable smalls.
“They take them to the local pawn shop and get $10 or $15, enough to buy a packet of heroin,” he said.
Champagne said investigations like this one have a two-fold benefit, since they call attention to the ramifications of recent changes in the Rockefeller drug laws of the 1970s and help keep large-scale operations out of Franklin County.
“We’re continuing to see people making a living selling drugs as a result of the recent change in drug laws,” the DA said, referring to lesser sentences being handed down since portions of the state’s drug laws were repealed.
“By targeting people who are frequent offenders, we’ve been able to stave off the meth labs we’re seeing in surrounding counties and to keep them out of Franklin County,” Champagne said.
Email Denise A. Raymo: draymo@pressrepublican.com
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The following is a list of people arrested in a drug sweep in Franklin and St. Lawrence counties Wednesday, the charges they face and other legal status:
Melissa Papineau, 35, of Hogansburg, third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, Oxycodone. Held in Franklin County Jail without bail to be arraigned today in County Court.
Crystal Cook, 34, of Hogansburg, charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, cocaine. Held in County Jail without bail to be arraigned today in County Court.
Owen Swamp, 35, of Hogansburg, charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, cocaine. Held in County Jail without bail to be arraigned today in County Court.
Timothy M. Machin, 33, of Moira, two counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, Oxycodone. Arraigned in Bangor Town Court before Judge Frederick Boardway and taken to County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 insurance bond.
Melissa A. Cook, 46, of Malone, third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, morphine. Arraigned in Bangor Town Court before Judge Frederick Boardway and taken to County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 insurance bond.
Edward G. Cummings, 56, of Westville, fourth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, Vicodin. Arraigned in Bangor Town Court before Judge Frederick Boardway and taken to County Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 insurance bond.
Timothy F. Trimm, 39, of Massena, fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, benzylpiperazine. Arraigned in Fort Covington Town Court before Justice Clayton Almond and taken to County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 insurance bond.
Rebecca L. Cooney, 36, of Massena, fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, benzylpiperazine. Arraigned in Fort Covington Town Court before Justice Clayton Almond and taken to County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 insurance bond.
Jason M. Fuller, 29, of Burke, three counts each of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, Oxycodone and heroin. Arraigned in Malone Town Court before Judge Michael Lamitie and taken to County Jail in lieu of $15,000 cash bail or $30,000 insurance bond.
Catherine Tambini-Dustin, 46, of Fort Covington, two counts each of fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, Xanex and Lyrica. Arraigned in Malone Town Court before Judge Michael Lamitie and taken to County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 insurance bond.
Robert M. Dresser, 44, of Malone, fourth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, Suboxone. Arraigned in Town of Malone Court before Judge Michael Lamitie and taken to County Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 insurance bond.
Shawn M. Dustin, 23, of Fort Covington, third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, cocaine. Arraigned in Malone Town Court and taken to County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 insurance bond.
