A routine traffic stop on Interstate 87 outside Albany turned into a major drug bust when a New York State Police K9 reportedly sniffed out a multi-pound stash of cocaine, landing two men in the county jail on felony charges.
Troopers pulled the vehicle over on I-87 at about 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday, June 23, according to Daily Voice Albany. The driver was identified as 37-year-old Jonathan Soto of Brooklyn and the passenger as 43-year-old Deszon Moore of Johnstown. Both men were taken to the Albany County Correctional Facility ahead of arraignment on charges that include first-degree and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
With help from State Police dog Anson, investigators found more than two pounds of cocaine in the vehicle, police told Daily Voice Albany. The outlet reported that the bust is documented in a photograph credited to the New York State Police. Authorities say the case has been turned over to prosecutors in Albany County.
Moore's name and age match a man arrested earlier this year in Bergen County, New Jersey. According to the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, a 43-year-old Deszon Moore was charged there in March in connection with a vehicle fire. That release lists charges of aggravated arson, arson, criminal mischief and hindering his own apprehension.
K9s Keep Turning Thruway Stops Into Big Drug Busts
Public summaries from New York State Police show this is not the only time recently that a seemingly standard Thruway or Capital Region traffic stop has escalated into a major seizure once a K9 got involved.
In one Troop G case this month, troopers in Bethlehem pulled a vehicle over and a K9 alerted to possible narcotics. Investigators ultimately seized more than three pounds of a substance that field-tested positive for cocaine, according to New York State Police. Similar incidents have shown up in recent State Police blotter posts.
Felony Drug Counts Bring Heavy Time If Convicted
First-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance is among the most serious drug charges on New York's books, and third-degree possession is a Class B felony. Both carry potentially lengthy prison terms if a defendant is convicted, under the penalties laid out in New York Penal Law (Article 220).
Public documents released so far do not list bail amounts or specific arraignment dates for Soto or Moore. Those details are expected to appear in the Albany County Correctional Facility roster and local court filings as the case moves forward.
