‘VERBAL ALTERCATION’ LEADS POLICE TO DRUG ARREST
ST. ALBANS: On Thursday evening, police were called to 3 Cedar Street for a verbal altercation over a drug overdose earlier that day. When Officer Malinowski arrived, he noticed a woman that resembled an overdosed drug user that he encountered earlier in his shift.
During the investigation process, the officer noticed a 1998 Mercury Sable, which looked to be the same vehicle that the overdose occurred in earlier that day.
According to the officer’s written statement to the court, when he was questioning the occupants of the home about the altercation, he noticed drug paraphernalia, including a cap to a needle in a window next to the entrance door.
The officer questioned Charles Convard, 37, of St. Albans in connection with the drug paraphernalia. If the officer’s statement is to be true, Convard was less than cooperative in the case.
According to court records, officers also questioned Melissa Burnor, Amber Kullgren, Debrah Thomas, Marvin “Tyrone” Crawford, and Nicholas Root, all of whom were at 3 Cedar Street when the officer arrived, but charges were not filed at that time against any of those people.
Before all was said and done, the police would seize the property to preserve any evidence while they applied for a search warrant.
When police searched the home, they discovered drug paraphernalia including hypodermic needles, cotton swabs and empty wax bags.
The police also discovered a safe in the bedroom that belonged to Convard, according to court records. In that safe were two small suboxone strips.
Police arrested Convard, and transported him to the police department- where police say he was so uncooperative they were unable to get an updated mug shot or fingerprints.
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Convard was held overnight at Northwest Correctional Center until his court appearance in front of Judge Gregory Rainville on Friday afternoon.
The state’s prosecutor requested that the court set $5,000 bail in the case.
“I know this is just a misdemeanor offense, your honor, but reading the affidavit, the defendant seems to have a very serious substance abuse issue which would affect his future appearance. He does have 29 misdemeanor convictions as well as three failures to appear,” said Assistant State’s Attorney John Lavoie.
The defense argued that Convard’s failure to appears were more than 13 years ago.
“It appears by his record that he has had some significant contact with the court since 2003 and he has shown up to court. I don’t think that bail is warranted in this matter,” Public Defender Rory Malone said.
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“What’s even more concerning,” said Rainville, “is that he had 11 violations of court order.”
The prosecution noted there seemed to be an overdose at the residence earlier in the day, and that concerned the prosecutor.
“That’s not true,” Convard said loudly.
“Don’t say anything,” Malone told him.
“It happened at Price Chopper,” Convard continued.
“I told you not to say anything,” Malone said to his client.
Rainville would ultimately hold Convard on $2,500 bail, noting that, as in most cases, bail would be stricken if he could get into an Inpatient Drug Treatment Facility.
