MONTICELLO – In an effort to address the continuing opiate/drug crises, the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office’s Gang and Narcotics Intelligence Unit has made a number of arrests recently in the greater Sullivan County area.
Sheriff Mike Schiff and District Attorney Meagan Galligan will be seeking county legislature support to join the Hope Not Handcuffs program in an effort to provide assistance to many drug users.
Those recently arrested include:
George Saulsberry, 64, of Monticello, was charged with felony criminal possession of a weapon, a taser, and, misdemeanor criminal possession of a controlled substance, crack cocaine.
Jeffrey Barker, 25, of Liberty, was charged with Misdemeanor criminal possession of a controlled substance, heroin/fentanyl.
Kayla Quinones, 31 of Livingston Manor was charged with misdemeanor petit larceny and criminal possession of a controlled substance, fentanyl.
Stephen Lyons, 32, of Monticello was charged with felony criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, fentanyl, two counts of misdemeanor criminal possession of a controlled substance, fentanyl and crack cocaine laced with fentanyl, and misdemeanor criminally using drug paraphernalia.
Jennifer Evans, 34, of Monticello was arrested for misdemeanor criminal possession of a controlled substance, loaded needle with fentanyl, and misdemeanor possession of a hypodermic instrument.
Ali Celic, 24, of Woodbourne, was charged with Felony criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, fentanyl/heroin, criminal possession of a controlled substance, fentanyl/heroin), and the misdemeanors of criminal possession of a controlled substance, crack cocaine), and two counts of criminal use drug paraphernalia, baggies and a scale.
Michael McCoy, 38, of Ferndale was arrested for felony criminal possession of a controlled substance, crack cocaine.
Demi D’Abbraccio, 23, of Monticello was charged with misdemeanors of driving while ability impaired – drugs, aggravated unlicensed, and criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Gregory Myers, 35, of Grahamsville was charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, cocaine and Percocet.
David Spencer, 50, of Loch Sheldrake was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, crack cocaine, and aggravated unlicensed operator.
Brittany Neuberger, 30 of, Monticello was arrested for felony criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, approximately 3.4 grams of fentanyl, criminal possession of a controlled substance, fentanyl, criminal use drug paraphernalia, glassine envelopes and zip lock baggies, and aggravated unlicensed operation.
Heather Edwards, 35, of Swan Lake was charged with misdemeanor criminal possession of a controlled substance, heroin/fentanyl.
All of the suspects were released on their own recognizance under the state’s Bail Reform Law.
Sheriff Mike Schiff believes that many of these suspects are good candidates for the “Hope, Not Handcuffs” program being proposed by Sullivan County District Attorney Meagan Galligan. “Unfortunately, we no longer have the leverage that the bail system used to afford us,” said the sheriff. “Hopefully, we can find a new way to coax defendants into treatment rather than return them to the streets to get high again and possibly overdose.”
Galligan said law enforcement knows “it will take a combination of narcotics enforcement operations and diversion for those who can benefit from treatment.”
She said the sheriff and she will present to the Sullivan County Legislature the opportunity to partner with Hope Not Handcuffs. The program will provide immediate intervention in appropriate situations identified by law enforcement, to get people who need it into treatment without delay, Galligan said.
