Two Whitehall residents arrested on drug charges

WHITEHALL, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- New York State Police arrested two individuals from Whitehall following an investigation into a disabled vehicle on Dolph Pond Road on Friday night. Police discovered drug paraphernalia, controlled substances, and felony-weight narcotics at the scene.

Troopers responding to the scene located Charles A. Ricci, 60. Ricci was identified as a passenger in the vehicle. The driver, Jaylene E. Brown, 38, had reportedly left the scene to retrieve gasoline.

Troopers say they observed drug paraphernalia in plain sight. Ricci was taken into custody and found to possess multiple controlled substances, felony-weight narcotics, and additional drug paraphernalia. Ricci was charged with three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree and two counts of criminally using drug paraphernalia in the second degree.

Brown returned to the scene and was found to have controlled substances. Brown was subsequently arrested and charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree and criminally using drug paraphernalia in the second degree.

Ricci and Brown were transported to State Police Granville for processing. They were transported to the Washington County Correctional Facility to await arraignment.