Felony Dealing Charged

What began as an East Hampton Town police drunken driving stop in Montauk on Saturday resulted in a charge that the driver intended to sell drugs. 

Mateusz Z. Pieta, 20, of Baiting Hollow was driving a 2002 Lexus on Carl Fisher Plaza, near Edgemere Street, when he passed an unmarked police car at about 1:15 a.m. He then crossed over the double yellow lines into oncoming traffic, according to police, who pulled him over. He appeared drunk, the report said. Police also noticed a large plastic bag with marijuana on the floor of the Lexus, next to his leg. 

During a search, police found a plastic bag of cocaine in his pants pocket. The officers then searched the Lexus. In all, police allegedly found more than one-eighth of an ounce of cocaine and nine  plastic baggies, an electronic scale, boxes of Narcan, and $265 in cash, as well as a plastic bag containing a green leafy substance that later tested positive for more than 25 grams of marijuana.

Mr. Pieta was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a felony, and criminal possession of a narcotic in the fourth degree, also a felony, as well as driving while intoxicated and criminal possession of marijuana, both misdemeanors.

Police also said they found a smoking device cartridge with a brown substance that later tested positive for the presence of marijuana. That resulted in a charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, a misdemeanor. 

East Hampton Town Justice Lisa R. Rana set bail at $25,000 cash or $50,000 bond. He was turned over to the Suffolk County sheriff’s office. 

Another charge of felony drug possession occurred on Friday. Samuel R. Huffman, 21, of Flushing was arrested in front of the Memory Motel on Montauk Highway after security escorted him out. Officers spoke to him while he was standing on the sidewalk, and saw a plastic bag with a green, leafy substance in the breast pocket of his shirt. A further search found  more than 500 milligrams of cocaine in a clear plastic vial in a zippered pouch in one of his pants pockets at about 11:55 p.m. Police also said they found Adderall and Xanax, for which he did not have a prescription, and a small quantity of marijuana.

Mr. Huffman was charged with felony criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, a misdemeanor, and unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation. Justice Rana set bail at $5,000. 

Adam P. Kopoulos, 28, of Springs was arrested on a misdemeanor drug charge on Aug. 17. Police said he was stopped on Springs-Fireplace Road, near Old Stone Highway in Springs, at 12:50 a.m. They found a small quantity of cocaine in the right pocket of his shorts. It later tested positive for cocaine. He was released on his own recognizance, and is due in court today. 

In a more unusual arrest, police charged a man with false personation and resisting arrest, both misdemeanors. An officer reported seeing a man urinating at the corner of South Embassy Street and South Elmwood Avenue in Montauk on Aug. 19 at about 2:30 a.m.

In writing up a summons for public urination, the officer asked him for his name, date of birth, and address. He identified himself as James Ali Brevard, 22, and gave his date of birth as Sept. 9, 1996. It turned out that his real name is Devin Kiani Brevard and that he was born about a month earlier. 

Police said he also tried to flee when being placed under arrest. He was subdued a short distance away on South Emery Street, near South Emerson Avenue, and handcuffed at 2:54 a.m. 

Justice Rana arraigned Mr. Brevard later that day and set bail at $250. Unable to post it, he was turned over to the Suffolk County sheriff.