A man under state parole supervision was arrested Tuesday after police say he discarded 20 baggies of suspected drugs during a prior booking at the Utica Police Department.
Steven Brown, 49, of Utica, was taken into custody at the Parole Office and brought to the department for charges stemming from a July 1 incident where an investigator discovered a knotted baggie on the floor of the booking area. A closer inspection revealed 19 more baggies discarded in a trash can.
Surveillance footage showed Brown removing the baggies from his mouth while seated on a bench and attempting to dispose of them when the officer briefly left the area.
Brown had been at the department earlier in connection with another criminal matter and was no longer in custody at the time of the discovery. A follow-up review of his identity confirmed he was under New York State Parole Supervision.
On Tuesday, he was formally charged with tampering with physical evidence and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Authorities have not released the type of substance found in the baggies.
Key Points
- Investigator discovered 20 hidden baggies of suspected drugs in the booking area on July 1
- Surveillance showed the suspect removing baggies from his mouth and discarding them
- Steven Brown was arrested Tuesday and faces felony drug and tampering charges
