WEBSITE TIPPED WALTON STING

A Tioga County man says it was a tip to his anti-drugs website that
eventually led to the drug bust in Walton on Tuesday. Steven H. Steiner,
founder of DAMMADD -- Dads and Moms Against Drug Dealers, said a tip was
received on the DAMMADD website in October about a drug sale that was about
to take place in Walton.

"A tipster contacted us and said that a woman was coming to Walton from New
York City to sell crack cocaine," Steiner said. The name given for the
woman "was Jenny Cochrane," he said.

Virginia "Jenny" Cochrane, 35, now of Walton, Calvin "Pop" Royal III, 21,
of Johnson City, and Candice Johnson, 21, also of Johnson City, were each
charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance on
Tuesday following a raid at 6 Maple St. in Walton.

The Delaware County Drug Enforcement Unit executed a search warrant at the
downstairs apartment. Also arrested were Michael J. Spensieri, 37, of
Walton, who was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a
controlled substance, and Tariq Amin, 19, of Johnson City, who was charged
with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Steiner said the October tip indicated that the sale of drugs in Walton
would take place in 45 minutes, which was not enough time for the Delaware
County Sheriff's Department to take action.

"The sheriff's department contacted the Walton Police Department, who set
up surveillance and watched the sale go down," Steiner said.

Steiner said the Internet tip came from someone in Walton.

Delaware County Undersheriff Doug Vredenburgh partially confirmed Steiner's
account.

"He gave us information regarding one of these individuals being involved
in drug trafficking," Vredenburgh said. "He said a drug transaction was
going to take place behind the bank, but we weren't able to get there that
fast. We gave it to Walton." Walton Police Chief Mel Woodin wouldn't verify
that his officers saw a drug transaction take place that day, but he didn't
deny it either.

"I am not verifying that claim with a yes or a no," Woodin said. "I will
say that we are involved with the county's Drug Enforcement Unit and that
this arrest was the result of an ongoing investigation."

Both Vredenburgh and Woodin are aware of Steiner's DAMMADD website, where
he is waging a personal war on drug dealers.

The organization accepts tips at its Internet site (www.dammadd.org) and
offers cash rewards ranging from $100 to $1,500 for information leading to
an arrest and conviction. People can also call the toll-free hot line at
(866) DAMMADD.

"We became aware of his organization in August," Vredenburgh said. "And I
am in favor of any program that works to stop drug dealing."

Steiner's program is designed to forward the public's tips about drug
dealing and related activity to law enforcement officials, while protecting
the anonymity of the informer.

Dads and Mad Moms Against Drug Dealers was founded by Steiner and his wife
after they lost their son to an OxyContin-Ecstasy overdose last year.

Stevie Steiner died last January from an overdose after partying during
Super Bowl weekend. On the Saturday before the game, the younger Steiner
and others at a party took Ecstasy and snorted OxyContin, a powerful
prescription painkiller also known by its generic name oxycodone.

"Stevie's death changed my life forever," Steiner said.

Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, gave Steiner's program a $50,000
grant to launch its Internet site and related efforts. However, Steiner
said more funding is desperately needed to keep the organization going. "If
I had a blank check, drug dealers would be at my mercy," Steiner said.

Steiner said to date the program has received more than 500 tips, which
have resulted in 18 arrests and one conviction. He is counting the five
Walton arrests among his successes.