After a man was reportedly carrying a gun in the vicinity of Battle Row Campground in Nassau County, police came to the trailer park to investigate. The individual who called them, a 46-year-old man, said that the accused, a 57-year-old man, had been intimidating him for an unspecified period of time. Months earlier, the accused elderly man had been kicked out of the campground by a manager and told not to come back.
Officers from the Second Precinct later discovered the man on Massapequa’s Chicago Avenue. He was detained at around 1:20 p.m. on Aug. 31. At that time, police claim that they found cocaine on his person, leading to drug charges in addition to indictments for menacing and trespassing. The man’s arraignment was initially scheduled for the first Sunday of September in Hempstead’s First District Court.
Police did not say what evidence they had confirming that the Old Bethpage man violated any laws other than the alleged drug possession. Although he was reported as having been observed in the area, it is unclear whether this allegation was simply based on hearsay. Reports also failed to specify whether he had a previous criminal record. It is known, however, that no weapon was recovered though the man was accused of possessing one.
Drug charges can often result from totally unrelated circumstances. People who are accused of possession offenses in conjunction with other crimes may suffer harsher treatment from law enforcement officials. Furthermore, increased sentencing guidelines and public perception of drug users can lead to more severe penalties for those convicted. Criminal attorneys may be able to help victims appeal their sentences in order to avoid unjust treatment, especially in cases where the original accusations were unproven.
Source: Plainview Patch, Old Bethpage Man Faces Menacing
