A New Jersey man, arrested in a 2017 Chatham drug raid, was sentenced this morning to prison. The Columbia County D.A.'s office says Lawrence Posey was sentenced on charges of Criminal Possession of a controlled substance, assault, resisting arrest, and endangering the welfare of a child. All sentences will be served concurrently, so he was sentenced to 4 to 5 years, plus 3 years post-release supervision.
Original press release from 2017:
DRUG DEALER OPERATING IN THE VILLAGE OF CHATHAM ARRESTED
Chatham, NY- Sheriff David P. Bartlett reports that two individuals have been arrested in connection with illegal drug activity in the Village of Chatham.
This investigation began after the Sheriff’s Office started receiving several tips from Chatham residents reporting possible illegal drug activity in the village. Undercover Investigators focused on the Locust Street area and developed information and leads, which revealed that this illegal drug activity was the sales and distribution of cocaine.
On Thursday, October 5, 2017 at approximately 4:33pm, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit with the assistance of the Columbia-Greene Shared Services Response Team executed a search warrant, which was issued by the Honorable Columbia County Court Judge Jonathan Nichols, at 16 Locust Street in the Village of Chatham. As a result of this investigation, two suspects were arrested.
Lawrence W. Posey, age 40, of Broad Street Swedesboro New Jersey, was arrested and charged with one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree with intent to sell, both Class B Felonies. Posey was arraigned in Greenport Town Court before the Honorable Judge Hill and was remanded to the Columbia County Jail with no bail. He will appear in the Chatham Village Court on October 10, 2017.
While executing the search warrant, Mr. Posey attempted to flee while resisting arrest with a Sheriff’s Office Investigator. The Investigator was injured and further charges are pending against the defendant.
Information received through the investigation indicated that the suspect, Lawrence Posey, traveled from New Jersey to the Village Of Chatham to sell drugs. Approximately 20 grams of cocaine was seized from the Locust Street location along with packaging materials, scales, and other drug paraphernalia. The cocaine has a street value of about $2,000.