NORWICH – Last week, prosecutors revealed a sealed grand jury indictment accusing a man of participating in a Norwich drug operation in which more than $25,000 in cocaine and an assault weapon were seized.
The top charge in the eight-count indictment charges 28-year-old Michael Victor with second degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class A-II felony carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
According to the indictment, Victor had four ounces of cocaine wrapped in plastic bags and a number of firearms hidden in a Mercedes Benz that was in a Town of Norwich storage unit on County Road 32.
However, Victor faces an even longer sentence for the other felonies listed in his indictment: three counts of second degree criminal possession of a weapon, a Class C felony which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison for each. The indictment claims Victor had a loaded assault weapon and a number of other loaded firearms, with the serial numbers ground off, hidden inside the sports car.
On March 27, the Norwich Police Department, with assistance from the New York State Troopers, Chenango County Sheriff’s Office and the Greene K-9 unit, forced their way into two separate apartments in the City of Norwich at 72 Plymouth St. and 31 Hickok Ave.
Police found Victor and his live-in girlfriend at the time, 20-year-old Curissa Jenkins of Norwich, at the Hickok Ave. address and discovered a stash of illegal substances and paraphernalia at the 72 Plymouth St. apartment.
Investigators at the time contended that the two kept two separate apartments in the city of Norwich – one where they lived and another allegedly used as a front to store and sell narcotics.
Both where charged with a number of drug related felonies and were indicted in by a previous Chenango County grand jury.
However on April 3, the Norwich Police, acting on additional information gathered during the investigation, discovered a storage unit in the Town of Norwich allegedly rented in Jenkins’ name.
Police found a 2004 Mercedes Benz coupe with three loaded firearms inside, a Tec-9 machine pistol with a large capacity magazine, a .357 revolver and a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Also inside the vehicle was $25,000 crack cocaine in plastic wrap.
Victor is the first of the two defendants to be indicted on charges resulting from the second seizure.
He is also indicted with second degree conspiracy, a B class felony, and three counts of third degree possession of a weapon, a Class D felony.
Victor and Jenkins are currently in the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $100,000 cash bail each.