Police made several drug-related arrests at an East Pine Street dwelling Thursday night, following a three-month investigation by Gloversville, Johnstown and state police, said Capt. Donald VanDeusen of Gloversville police.
While executing a search warrant around 8:30 p.m., officers seized a small amount of marijuana, scales, packaging items and $805 in cash from the apartment of Christina Rodriguez, 28, at 35 E. Pine St. Apartment No. 1.
Her brother Felix Rodriguez, 26, of the same address, was arrested down the street at his girlfriend’s apartment, VanDeusen said.
Felix was the target of the investigation, he said, after selling cocaine on several occasions to a confidential informant who worked for Gloversville and state police. He was charged with third-degree criminal sale and possession of a controlled substance, a class B felony.
There are pending charges against Felix for two other sales of controlled substances over the course of an eight-month investigation into his conduct, which will be forwarded to Fulton County District Attorney Louise Sira for grand jury consideration at a later time.
“We want to show that this is a person who consistently sells drugs, and not just the one time,” VanDeusen said. “There was no cocaine at his residence, but what happens in the cocaine and marijuana trade is that people who deal it usually have a supplier and it’s hard for us to pinpoint how much product a person picks up at a time or is sitting on at a time.”
VanDeusen declined to reveal information about any leads into Felix’s supplier because the investigation is still ongoing.
Christina was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and endangering the welfare of a child. The marijuana was kept in a location easily accessible to her 5- and 7-year-old children, who are staying temporarily with relatives until the Department of Social Services investigates the situation, VanDeusen said.
Christina was also charged with first-degree criminal nuisance, a class E felony, for allowing her residence to be used as a location from which to sell controlled substances. Felix had just recently moved in with her, VanDeusen said.
For more on the story, see Saturday’s print and online editions of The Daily Gazette.
Categories: Schenectady County
