NORWICH – A second co-defendant pleaded guilty Monday to her role in the local cocaine drug trade after police seized more than $25,000 worth of the substance, a sports car and assault weapons in connection to the case.
Casie L. Brooks pleaded guilty to third degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a B class felony carrying a sentence of up to nine years in prison, yesterday in a deal with prosecutors that may require her to testify against her alleged co-conspirators.
Her assigned Defense Attorney Adam Spence said it was his client’s understanding that if she fulfilled her requirements, she would be released with time already served and be placed on five years probation.
Brooks is one of four co-defendants currently involved in the case.
Twenty-one-year-old Curissa Jenkins of 31 Hickok Ave., Norwich, also pleaded guilty in early January to fifth degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a D class felony that carries a maximum prison sentence of two and a half years with one year of post release supervision. Her attorney, Public Defender Alan Gordon, said she would be sentenced to time already served and placed on five years post release supervision as part of the deal. He also said Jenkins would also have to testify at any trial against her co-defendants.
District Attorney Joseph McBride said two other men involved in the case are brothers who share identical names, Michael Victor.
One of the brothers, 29-year-old Michael A. Victor Jr., was arrested on March 27 with Jenkins, his girlfriend at the time. His brother Michael J. Victor remains a suspect in the case and has not yet been located by authorities, McBride told the court. Michael J. Victor’s girlfriend was Brooks, and prosecutors have not yet detailed their involvement in the case.
Last winter, 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 Jenkins at their Hickok Ave. address and discovered a stash of illegal substances and paraphernalia at the 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.
On April 3 Norwich Police also discovered a storage unit in the Town of Norwich rented in Jenkins’ name. They found a 2004 Mercedes CLK 500 sports coupe with three loaded firearms inside, a Tec-9 machine pistol with a large capacity magazine, a .357 revolver, a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol and $25,000 of wrapped crack cocaine inside the car.
Police said the storage locker was in Jenkins’ name and part of her plea deal required her to surrender nearly all the seized possessions, except for a few personal items.
Brooks’ and Jenkins’ plea deals requires them to report for drug periodic testing, not to use alcohol, submit to random house checks and that they stay out of trouble with police.
McBride said failure to meet any part of their plea agreement or any violation of their terms could result in either of the defendants being sentenced to the maximum, effectively ending any sentencing deal.
Jenkins was arrested again on Saturday for disorderly conduct, a penal law violation. Police responded to an incident at 2:44 a.m. behind the Broad Street Tavern that involved a fight. They said she punched another woman in the face during the altercation. The woman was also charged with disorderly conduct, along with one of Jenkins’ relatives. She was issued an appearance ticket for Norwich City Court and released.
“I don’t think it’ll affect the plea deal, from what I understand. There was no alcohol or drugs involved. She gets tested, she’s been clean,” said Gordon. He added that officials could test for alcohol use for up to 80 hours after consumption.