Police made several drug-related arrests at an East Pine Street residence Thursday night following a three-month probe by city, Johnstown and state investigators, Gloversville police said.
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 35 E. Pine St. apartment of Christina Rodriguez, 28.
Her brother, Felix, 26, of the same address, was arrested down the street at his girlfriend’s apartment, Gloversville police Capt. Donald VanDeusen said.
Felix Rodriguez became the target of the investigation, VanDeusen 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.
He also has charges pending for two other alleged sales of controlled substances over the course of an eight-month investigation, which will be forwarded to Fulton County District Attorney Louise Sira for presentation to a grand jury.
“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 Rodriguez’s supplier because the investigation is ongoing.
Christina Rodriguez was 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, VanDeusen said; the children are staying temporarily with relatives until the Department of Social Services investigates.
Rodriguez was also charged with first-degree criminal nuisance, a class E felony, accused of allowing her residence to be used as a location from which to sell controlled substances, VanDeusen said. Felix Rodriguez had just recently moved in with her.
Police began their investigation and executed the search warrant after several neighborhood complaints about loud parties, drug activity and illegal parking. The Gloversville Police Department’s patrol and detective divisions also began observing increased activity at the East Pine Street address.
“The disorderly conduct and quality of life issues got our attention,” VanDeusen said, “so we started surveillance and investigation into what was going on there. And through the course of the investigation, we learned a drug operation with cocaine and marijuana was coming out of that apartment.”
Gloversville, Johnstown and state police shared services for the investigation because of manpower restrictions, he said.
The Rodriguez siblings were arraigned in Gloversville City Court and sent to the Fulton County jail.
Categories: Schenectady County
