Police say 2 sold drugs

Two Oneida city men are facing drug-related felonies following two separate arrests by the Oneida City Police Department.

OPD arrested Robert M. Spratt Jr., 23, charging him with three counts of thirddegree sale of a criminal substance and three counts of third-degree possession a controlled substance. Both crimes are class-B felonies.

Police say Spratt sold crack cocaine on at least three occasions.

He was arraigned before the Madison County Court and is being held in the Madison County Jail on $50,000 bail or $100,000 bond.

Also arrested on Monday was Neil Stanhope, 39. Stanhope was charged two counts of third-degree sale of a controlled substance and two counts of thirddegree possession of a controlled substance.

Police say Stanhope sold heroin in the city on at least two occasions.

He was arraigned before the Madison County Court and is being held in the Madison County Jail on $10,000 bail or $20,000 bond.

“It’s risky to do business in the City of Oneida because we are relentless and very proactive about enforcing the laws regarding the sale and use of illegal drugs,” said Lt. Paul Thompson, acting police chief.

“Our investigators are very tenacious and diligent in investigating these drug cases. All of our officers have been in situations where they have been exposed to people who have overdosed on illegal drugs,” Thompson continued. “In some instances, those overdoses have resulted in death and in other instances, our officers have been present when somebody has been brought back from near certain death by Narcan administered by emergency medical first responders.”

Thompson said witnessing such an experience has a lasting effect.

“I think that it is a small relief and gratifying to all of our officers when an arrest of a drug dealer is made as it may lessen the likelihood, however slightly, of having to respond to that next overdose call,” he said.

Stanhope

Spratt