NIAGARA FALLS – A long-term investigation into prescription narcotics being sold on Niagara Avenue led to the arrest of a suspected dealer.
Niagara Falls Police narcotics detectives, the city’s Emergency Response Team and Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents served a warrant early Thursday, just after midnight, at 1604 Niagara and arrested two men, including one who had a loaded handgun by his side.
Gregory N. Perry, 20, of Ferry Avenue, was charged with third- and fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third- and fourth-degree possession of a weapon and fourth-degree possession of marijuana.
Another man at the scene, Christopher M. Monaco, 45, of Jackson Street, Lockport, was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance when he was found with one prescription narcotic pill and second-degree obstructing governmental administration for trying to block officers as they entered so that Perry could get to his gun, said Niagara Falls Narcotics Capt. David LeGault.
Narcotics Detective Lt. Theodore Weed said Perry had the Taurus .45-caliber handgun next to him as the Emergency Response Team and federal agents forcibly entered to serve the warrant.
“The ERT team got in before he could reach for it,” said Weed, praising the quick action of city and federal agents.
At the scene, detectives recovered four plastic bags packaged for sale with a total of 135 narcotic prescription pills, two Ecstasy tablets, digital scales and spice mills, as well as two baggies of marijuana, which the men had been smoking when police entered, Weed said.
“They are really making a ton of money on this,” Weed said.
email: nfischer@buffnews.com
Niagara Falls Police narcotics detectives, the city’s Emergency Response Team and Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents served a warrant early Thursday, just after midnight, at 1604 Niagara and arrested two men, including one who had a loaded handgun by his side.
Gregory N. Perry, 20, of Ferry Avenue, was charged with third- and fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third- and fourth-degree possession of a weapon and fourth-degree possession of marijuana.
Another man at the scene, Christopher M. Monaco, 45, of Jackson Street, Lockport, was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance when he was found with one prescription narcotic pill and second-degree obstructing governmental administration for trying to block officers as they entered so that Perry could get to his gun, said Niagara Falls Narcotics Capt. David LeGault.
Narcotics Detective Lt. Theodore Weed said Perry had the Taurus .45-caliber handgun next to him as the Emergency Response Team and federal agents forcibly entered to serve the warrant.
“The ERT team got in before he could reach for it,” said Weed, praising the quick action of city and federal agents.
At the scene, detectives recovered four plastic bags packaged for sale with a total of 135 narcotic prescription pills, two Ecstasy tablets, digital scales and spice mills, as well as two baggies of marijuana, which the men had been smoking when police entered, Weed said.
“They are really making a ton of money on this,” Weed said.
email: nfischer@buffnews.com