State police traffic stop nets felony drug charges in Owego

[By Matt Freeze]

New York State Police arrested a Steuben County man on felony drug charges after he allegedly had fentanyl and cocaine, then attempted to flee a highway traffic stop conducted Sunday night in the Village of Owego. 

State police announced Tuesday that Brian W. Raymond, 43, of Bradford, N.Y., was charged with four counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree: intent to sell; one count of criminal use of drug paraphernalia in the second degree; obstruction of governmental administration in the second degree; and resisting arrest.

Police said they observed a Toyota Prius committing vehicle and traffic violations while traveling on State Route 17 and initiated a traffic stop. 

During the course of the investigation, troopers said they discovered Raymond in possession of approximately 101 grams of fentanyl, roughly 51.2 grams of cocaine, and a digital scale. 

At the time of the arrest, troopers said Raymond pulled away in an attempt to flee but was unsuccessful and sustained a cut to his forehead during the incident. 

Raymond was reportedly transported by Apalachin EMS to Wilson Medical Center, and upon release, was processed at the Owego barracks and turned over to the Tioga County Jail for centralized arraignment.

(Matt Freeze is a senior writer for The Morning Times.)