Tioga County, N.Y. sheriff's deputies arrested nine individuals Tuesday night after executing two search warrants related to drug activity in the village of Owego.
The search warrants, one at 75-77 North Ave. Apt. 1 and the other at 64 Spencer Ave., were part of an ongoing investigation focused on the increasing distribution and use of illegal drugs in Tioga County, according to a press release from the sheriff's office.
Five of the nine people charged Tuesday were committed to the Tioga County Jail in Owego, police said.
Police arrested Andrew L. Tucker, 21, of Owego, for criminal nuisance in the second degree, a class B misdemeanor, at his North Avenue apartment. Under New York's penal code, a person guilty of second-degree criminal nuisance "knowingly conducts or maintains any premises, place or resort where persons gather for purposes of engaging in unlawful conduct."
Also arrested at the North Avenue apartment were Dillon R. Steigler, 21, and Jennifer Y. Charton, 30, both of Owego, police said. Both were charged with loitering in the first degree, which penal code defines as loitering "for the purpose of unlawfully using or possessing a controlled substance."
Tucker, Steigler and Charton were each arraigned in Owego Village Court and remanded to the Tioga County Jail in lieu of $1,000 cash bail or $5,000 bail bond, police said.
Police also issued Anthony M. Tucker, 21, of Owego, an appearance ticket for unlawful possession of marijuana and released a 15-year-old female at the residence to her mother, police said. Police directed the juvenile for Persons in Need of Supervision diversion, police said.
During the Spencer Avenue search, police arrested Timothy J. Ryder, 21, of Barton, and Dakota O. Steigler, 18, of Owego, for first-degree loitering. Ryder and Steigler were arraigned in village court and remanded to the Tioga County Jail in lieu of $1,000 cash bail or $5,000 bail bond, police said.
Police also arrested Alfred E. Thornton, 46, and Dorothy L. Thornton, 34, both of Owego, for criminal nuisance in the second degree, police said.
All are scheduled to reappear March 11 in village court, police said.
The investigation is ongoing and additional arrests and charges are pending, according to the sheriff's office.
Amanda Renko can be reached at (570) 888-9652; or email: arenko@thedailyreview.com.