Thread: NY: Putnam sheriff: 3 immigrants held after Brewster drug ra

November 19, 2008


Putnam sheriff: 3 immigrants held after Brewster drug raid

Terence Corcoran
The Journal News

BREWSTER - Two men, identified by police as illegal immigrants, face felony drug charges after a two-month investigation by the Putnam County Sheriff's Office narcotics enforcement unit.

Rolando Soto, 24, and Jimmi Soto Ramos, 24, were charged Saturday with multiple counts each of third-degree criminal sale and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, Chief Investigator A. Gerald Schramek said.

Putnam investigators raided their Center Street apartment Saturday, seizing more than $1,000 in cash, plus narcotics paraphernalia, packaging material and a pair of brass knuckles, police said.

Police said the men were selling cocaine from their apartment. During the two-month investigation, Schramek said, undercover investigators were able to infiltrate the operation and identify the persons responsible for selling drugs.

A third resident of the apartment, Diego Mateo, 32, was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a deadly weapon, a felony, second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and second-degree criminal impersonation, misdemeanors, police said.

Mateo allegedly possessed the brass knuckles and provided police with fake documents and a false identification, police said.

Investigation revealed Mateo's true identity and an extensive criminal record, including previous assault charges and a pending attempted-murder charge in New York City, Schramek said.

The three were arraigned before Patterson Town Justice John King, acting in behalf of the Brewster Village Court.

They were sent to the Putnam County jail. Soto and Soto Ramos are being held without bail, while Mateo is being held on $10,000 cash bail or $300,000 bond, police said.

Soto and Soto Ramos are in the country illegally from Guatemala, while Mateo is an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, police said.

The Sheriff's Office notified the federal Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement that the three were in custody, Schramek said.

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my oh my... those wonderful south of the border family values just bubble to the top of the barrel just like little Meth bubbles fermenting in a production lab