By Dan King
Seven Granville residents were among a group of 11 “mid to high level drug dealers” arrested in an early morning countywide drug raid last Wednesday.
A series of searches at four houses and a vehicle throughout Washington County were conducted by the State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Granville Police, Fort Edward Police and Washington County Sheriff’s officers at 2 a.m. on Nov. 18.
“These are not all related cases,” said District Attorney Tony Jordan. “Drug dealers don’t care about boundaries.”
Three of the Granville drug arrests were made at a residence on county Route 25.
Phillip ‘Rusty’ Martelle, 57, was chargedwith fourth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance; James Cary, 60, was charged with third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance; and Jason Cary, 33, was charged with fourth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, officials said. All three have other charges pending.
Other Granvillians were arrested as well.
Jacqueline Wallace, 33, of Park Avenue, was charged with fourth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance; Michael LaFountain, 33, of LaFountain Lane, was charged with fourth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance; and Devon Lewis, 26, of DeKalb Road, was charged with fourth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. Wallace, LaFountain and Lewis all have other charges pending, authorities said.
Jordan said that while many of the arrests were made at rural residences, the ones in the village were particularly important, because these dealers often times live next to families.
Two other locals were charged with lesser offenses. Keriann Whitney, 39, of county Route 17 in Granville, and Robert Curavoo, 37, of Stage Road in Benson, Vt., were charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.
Officials said the three involved in the county Route 25 incident were at least aware of each other’s sales and most likely involved with one another. However, the other Granville dealers were not working with each other, officials said.
“In a community as small as Granville, they are most likely well aware of each other, though,” said State Police Senior Investigator Robert Stampfli.
Kevin Strainer, 32, of East Street, Fort Edward, was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal possession of a firearm, with other charges pending. Crystal Leo, 26, also of East Street, was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and endangering the welfare of a child. Other charges are pending against Leo as well.
Law enforcement officials said at Strainer’s residence they found two rifles, a shotgun and an assault rifle, all of which were not loaded.
Additionally, Tyrone Wood, 19, of Thunder Road, Salem, was charged with fourth-degree criminal facilitation, with other charges pending.
The suspects, according to Jordan, were not all “moving the same product.” The arrests involved marijuana, cocaine and Suboxone, a prescription drug used to treat heroin addictio n.
Jordan said he believed the dealers who were selling Suboxone were obtaining it through prescriptions from pharmacies. He added that officials were still investigating to see if the dealers were on government assistance.
Washington County Undersheriff John Winchell said that “Suboxone is the primary drug we’re dealing with” in this case.
James Cary, Jason Cary, Lewis, LaFountain, Martelle, Wallace, Strainer and Leo were all taken to Washington County Jail.
Curavoo and Whitney were released. Wood’s release status was unavailable. His charge was a misdemeanor.