Danbury Man Faces Drug, Driving Charges in Southeast

SOUTHEAST, NY — Putnam County Sheriff Donald B. Smith reports the arrest of a Danbury man on charges of drug possession and driving while impaired by drugs in the Town of Southeast.

At 3:30 a.m. March 18, Deputy Sheriff Francis McDonough was patrolling along Route 22 in Southeast when he saw a car driving with its muffler dragging on the pavement.

The deputy stopped the driver of the car and identified him as Eric J. Henry, 19, of 78 Highland Ave. in Danbury, Connecticut.

In the course of the traffic stop, the deputy concluded that Henry's ability to drive was impaired by drugs. In addition, police allege, Henry was found in possession of Xanax pills—without having the requisite prescription—and a quantity of cocaine.

McDonough arrested the defendant and charged him with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, a class E felony, and with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree and operating a motor vehicle while his ability was impaired by drugs, both class A misdemeanors.

An investigator from the Sheriff’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit assisted in securing the drug evidence.

Henry was processed at the Sheriff’s Office and then arraigned before Southeast Town Justice Richard Vercollone, who remanded him to the Putnam County Correctional Facility in lieu of $1,500 bail. Bail was posted to secure his release later the same day.

If found guilty of the felony drug charge, Henry could face up to four years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $5,000. The misdemeanors are punishable by up to one year in jail and a maximum fine of $1,000

on each count.