7 Felony Drug Charges for Brewster Parolee

A Brewster man faces multiple felony drug charges following a 3-month investigation into narcotics trafficking by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department.

In January, a deputy sheriff assigned to the Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Enforcement Unit (NEU) developed information that a resident of a local motel was engaged in the sale of prescription medications, cocaine and heroin.

Police said the deputy was able to make contact with the man and arrange the purchase of the drugs on numerous occasions.

On March 16, members of the NEU located and arrested the man at a residence in Dutchess County. A search warrant was executed on his motel room and a quantity of crack cocaine, prescription medication and drug transaction records were seized, police said.

Daniel L. Durden, 42, of Sodom Road was charged with 4 counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and 3 counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, felonies.

He was arraigned before Town of Southeast Justice Gregory Folchetti and sent to the Putnam County Correctional Facility without bail.

At the time of his arrest, Durden was on parole for a 2011 narcotics sale conviction for which he was sentenced to six years in prison. He has numerous other arrests, convictions and parole violations as part of his criminal history, police said.

If found guilty of the felony charges, the defendant could face up to 25 years in a New York State Correctional Facility and a fine of up to $30,000.00 for each charge.