MALONE, N.Y. -
The Franklin County Narcotics Task Force arrested nine suspected drug dealers Wednesday morning and three on Monday. The 12 people are charged with selling a variety of drugs like cocaine, heroin and a host of different prescription drugs.
"If oxycodone and drugs like that are going to be a starter drug then we've gotta get a handle on that and that's what we're doing here," Franklin County Sheriff Kevin Mulverhill said at a news conference Wednesday.
The arrests were part of an eight month investigation. Most of the people arrested were charged with selling prescription drugs like oxycodone, vicodin, suboxone and even morphine. Three people are charged with selling cocaine. But what may irk tax payers is how some of these prescription drugs were purchased.
"Some of the narcotics that may have been sold and/or control substances sold maybe prescription medications that would may have been gotten with the help of public assistance. the investigation with that is ongoing at this time," New York State Police Major Richard Smith said.
This new wave of narcotics that police are dealing with is a problem for parents and children too because in many cases these drugs are obtained legally.
Here are the people who were arrested.
"Parents need to be acutely aware of any kind of prescription drug they may have in their possession to make sure none of their teenage children become involved," Maj. Smith said.
Timothy M. Machin-33-Moira, NY- Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 3rd (Oxycodone)
Melissa A. Cook-46-Malone, NY- Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 3rd (Morphine)
Edward G. Cummings-56-Westville, NY- Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 4th (Vicodin)
Jason M. Fuller-29-Burke, NY- Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 3rd (Oxycodone/Heroin)
Timothy F. Trimm-39-Massena, NY- Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 5th (Benzylpiperazine)
Rebecca L. Cooney-36-Massena, NY- Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 5th (Benzylpiperazine)
Catherine Tambini-Dustin-46-Fort Covington, NY- Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 5th (Lyrica/Xanax)
Robert M. Dresser-44-Malone, NY- Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 4th (Suboxone)
Shawn M. Dustin-23-Fort Convington, NY- Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 3rd (Cocaine)
Melissa Papineau-35-Hogansburg, NY- Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 3rd (Oxycodone)
Crystal Cook-34-Hogansburg, NY- Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 3rd (Cocaine)
Owen Swamp-35-Hogansburg, NY- Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance 3rd (Cocaine)
