A joint team of state and village police arrested four people suspected of selling cocaine and crack cocaine across Greene County early this morning.
According to a press release from the New York State Police, the bust was the result of a month-long investigation into drug sales in Greene County.
At 5am this morning, police raided three apartments, one in Athens and two in Catskill, and reportedly found 200 grams of cocaine, a pound of marijuana, $30,000 in cash, a pistol, and items that could be traced to a recent area burglary.
The dragnet caught four suspects: 35-year-old Anthony Beau and 29-year-old Carmen Cruzado of Athens; and 21-year-old Vanessa Ridley and 37-year-old Clifford Robinson of Catskill.
Read the full press release from the New York State Police:
Four Greene County Residents Arrested after a Month Long Investigation into Illegal Drug Sales
On Wednesday, May 16, 2012, the New York State Police in Catskill, the New York State Police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team, the Capital District Drug Enforcement Task Force, the New York State Division of Parole and the Village of Catskill Police Department concluded a month long investigation into cocaine and crack cocaine sales in Greene County. At approximately 5:00 a.m. three search warrants were executed in the County. Two of the residences were in the town of Catskill and one was in the village of Athens. The search warrants were executed by three separate State Police Special Operations Response Teams (SORT). The locations searched were:
109 North Washington Street, Apt #2, Athens, N.Y.
122 State Route 385 Apt #33, Meadow Woods Apartments, Catskill, N.Y.
1014 State 23A Apt#1, Catskill Country Apartments, Catskill, N.Y.
As a result of the search warrants State Police seized approximately 200 grams of cocaine, approximately one pound of marihuana, approximately $30,000 in cash, proceeds from an area burglary, and a starter pistol.
ANTHONY M. BEAU, 35, and CARMEN D. CRUZADO, 29, both of 109 North Washington Street, Apt #2, Athens, N.Y. were each charged with:
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd Degree, a class B Felony
Criminal possession of Stolen Property in the 5th Degree, a class A Misdemeanor
Criminal use of Drug Paraphernalia in the 2nd Degree, a class A Misdemeanor
Unlawful Possession of Marihuana, a violation
VANESSA RIDLEY, 21, of Apartment #33 Meadow Woods Apartments, St-385 Catskill, N.Y. was charged with:
Criminal Possession of Controlled Substance in the 2nd Degree, a class A-II Felony
Criminal Possession of Marihuana in the 2nd Degree, a class D Felony
Criminal possession of a Controlled Substance, a class A Misdemeanor
Criminal use of Drug Paraphernalia in the 2nd Degree, a class A Misdemeanor
Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 4th Degree, a class A Misdemeanor
CLIFFORD ROBINSON, 37, of Apartment #1 Catskill Country Apartments, State Route 23A Catskill, N.Y. was charged with:
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd Degree a class B Felony
Criminal use of Drug Paraphernalia in the 2nd Degree, a class A Misdemeanor
Unlawful Possession of Marihuana, a violation
Each of the defendants were arraigned before Town of Catskill Justice William Wooten. ANTHONY BEAU, CLIFFORD ROBINSON, and VANESSA RIDLEY were each remanded to the Greene County Jail without bail. CARMEN CRUZADO was remanded to the Greene County Jail in lieu of $20,000 cash bail or $40,000 bond.
The New York State Police, CDDETF, New York State Division of Parole, and the Village of Catskill Police Department were assisted during this investigation by Greene County District Attorney Terry Wilhelm, the village of Athens Police Department, and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Department.
