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Kent Man Charged With Dealing Marijuana From His Home
Putnam County Sheriff Donald B. Smith reports the arrest of a Lake Carmel man after undercover deputies from the Sheriffs Narcotics Enforcement Unit made several purchases of large quantities of marijuana from him at his home.
In April, narcotics investigators developed information that 42-year-old Charlie Mendez was selling marijuana from his residence, located at Route 52 in the Town of Kent. While conducting their investigation, undercover officers were able to infiltrate the operation. They learned that Mr. Mendez was making several trips to New York City each week to procure the illegal substance and sell it to numerous local customers on a daily basis.
On June 3, Mr. Mendez was arrested by narcotics enforcement and road patrol deputies as he left his place of employment in the Town of Patterson. Simultaneously, sheriffs deputies and investigators, armed with a search warrant issued by Kent Town Justice Peter Collins, executed the search of Mr. Mendez's residence. As a result of the search, marijuana, cash, digital scales and packaging materials were seized.
Mr. Mendez was charged with: multiple counts of Criminal Sale of Marijuana in the Second Degree, a class "D" felony; Criminal Sate of Marijuana in the Third Degree, a class "E" felony; multiple counts of Criminal Sale of Marijuana in the Fourth Degree and Criminal Sale of Marihuana in the Fifth Degree both misdemeanors and multiple counts of Unlawful Possession of Marijuana, a violation. Additionally, he was charged with four counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a misdemeanor, since it was determined that he conducted several drug sales in the presence of small children who lived in the Mendez residence.
Mr. Mendez has an extensive criminal history which includes him serving state and federal prison terms for various violent crimes, including Armed Robbery and Importation of Cocaine with the Intent to Distribute.
He was arraigned before Kent Town Justice Peter Collins and remanded to the Putnam County Correctional Facility without bail.
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