(Updated: 11:40 a.m.) Two men in possession of heroin and crack cocaine were arrested on felony drug charges on Daly Drive in Riverhead last night, after an investigation by Riverhead Town Police anf the East End Drug Task Force, according to Riverhead Town Police.
Rakeem Miles, 23, of Riverhead, and Rayquann Houpe, 25, of Middle Island, formerly of Riverhead, were arraigned on four felony charges and a misdemeanor in Riverhead Justice Court this morning.
Both were charged with criminal possession of a more than 1/8 ounce of heroin and criminal possession of a more than 1/8 ounce of crack cocaine with intent to sell, a class B felony, as well as criminal possession of each drug as class C felonies and possession of drug paraphernalia, a digital scale, according to Riverhead Town Justice Allen Smith.
Houpe was paroled from an upstate penitentiary on Tuesday, where he served time since April on a conviction of attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree. He had been arrested by Riverhead Police on two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree on Feb. 18, 2014. He lived in Riverhead at the time. He told the court today he currently lives in Middle Island with his girlfriend, who was present for the arraignment.
Houpe, who said he has been unemployed for the past couple of years, was held on $50,000 cash bail, despite a plea by his lawyer, Riverhead attorney Annette Totten, who said she’s known the defendant’s family all her life and could assure the court he is not a flight risk. Totten asked the judge to set a “minimal bail” — if at all — of $500.
“My understanding is the other person made a statement [to police] taking full responsibility,” she said.
The judge said in consideration of the defendant’s criminal history and a record that includes failing to appear in court twice, he would set bail at $50,000 cash and put the case over until Monday.
Miles was also held on $50,000 cash bail following his arraignment. He has a warrant for his arrest issued by the State of North Carolina, the judge said, but the North Carolina was not requesting extradition. Miles will also return to court on Monday.
Before his arraignment began, a man who identified himself to the court as Miles’ father reprimanded the defendant for giving a statement to authorities, which Miles acknowledged in a conversation with him held across the courtroom.
“Why’d you do that?” the man asked him. “Don’t do that. You don’t say nothing until you talk to your lawyer.”
His attorney, Douglas Byrne of Central Islip, told the court the defendant was a resident of North Carolina but has been staying with a cousin in Riverhead for about a year. “He has father and other family in the area,” Byrne said.
Editor’s note: A criminal charge is an accusation. By law, a person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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