Sheriff’s Make Large Drug Bust in Delhi; Several Are Arrested

Sheriff Craig DuMond announced that on Monday afternoon, Delaware County Sheriff's Office Investigators arrested three Delhi area residents on felony drug possession charges following the execution of a high risk search warrant at a Meredith Street, Delhi, residence by members of the Delaware County Sheriff's Office Special Response Team.

A Search Warrant for the residence was obtained following a narcotics trafficking investigation conducted by members of the Delaware County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division.

A search of the residence conducted by Sheriff’s Investigators and Deputies, assisted by K-9 “Ozzie”, led to the seizure of more than one half (1/2) ounce of bulk packaged heroin and three bundles (thirty bags) of packaged heroin having an estimated street value in excess of $5,000.00, a quantity of marihuana, as well as a scale and drug packaging paraphernalia.

Investigators subsequently arrested 50-year-old Ramar Hassell (photo below), a/k/a “Pee-Wee”, and/or “Ace”, and 54-year-old Valerie L. Alexander, (photo above)  both of Meredith Street, Delhi, and charged each of them with the class B felony offense of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and Unlawful Possession of Marihuana. Hassell was also charged with Resisting Arrest. Investigators also arrested 25-year-old William J. Effner (photo below), of Delancey, and charged him with the class B felony offense of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and the misdemeanor offense of Criminally Possessing a Hypodermic Instrument.

Hassell, Alexander and Effner are accused of possessing a quantity of heroin with the intent to sell it.

All three were arraigned in the Town of Delhi Court and were remanded to the Delaware County Correctional Facility in lieu of $100,000.00 cash bail pending their re-appearance in the Town of Delhi Court on November 9, 2018.

The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision’s Division of Parole was immediately notified of the arrest of Effner who is currently subject to Parole supervision. Effner was released from state prison to parole supervision in July, 2018 upon serving a portion of the sentence imposed upon him as result of a Grand Larceny conviction.

Additionally, the New York City Police Department was notified of the arrest of Valerie Alexander who is currently wanted by that agency on an outstanding bench warrant for Burglary in the Third Degree.

Speaking on the arrest, Sheriff Craig DuMond commented “Once again, I am extremely proud of the dedicated efforts of our team and, specifically, my Special Response Team. The SRT, made up of specially trained Deputies and Corrections Officers, executed this high risk warrant flawlessly; ensuring the safety of our personnel as well as the community in general. We have been after these characters for some time and I am pleased these individuals have been removed from our streets”.