CONCERT BROUGHT NUMEROUS DRUG ARRESTS

LAKE PLACID -- Close to 4,000 people spent two nights reveling in
music at snoe.down last weekend.

Venue hosts at the Olympic Regional Development Authority found the
crowd to be generally peaceful and fun-loving, said spokesman Sandy
Caligiore.

"I think they were here for the music and the company of each other. I
found them to be polite."

Police officials found other things.

"They were very politely saying please and thank you, but they are
bringing drugs into our community," Lake Placid Police Chief Scott
Monroe said Monday.

"This is the type of event I don't want to come back."

Area police, including 10 Lake Placid officers, nine State Police
troopers and five Essex County Sheriff's Deputies, reported more than
30 arrests related to snoe.down concert fans.

An uncapped hypodermic needle was found by a ticket officer on a
street crosswalk near the Olympic Oval, and police confiscated
numerous types of drugs, including LSD, ecstasy, cocaine, heroin,
psychedelic mushrooms and marijuana, said Lake Placid Police Sgt. Bill
Moore.

There were a few reports of methamphetamine use though no one was
arrested with the drug.

Police confiscated LSD-laced toothpicks, LSD melted into chocolate,
and baseball-card-type packages of LSD containing a large number of
"hits."

"(Snoe.down) brought a high amount of drugs to the village. We never
find those types at other times during the year," Moore said. "It was
a big concern, especially so close to the school."

Anyone who finds suspicious items on the street or in parks should
call police, he said.

Two concert-goers were charged with violent behavior while resisting
arrest; one of them faces a felony charge.

Joseph Seguna, 22, of Hicksville was brought to Essex County Jail in
Elizabethtown after fighting with police, who allegedly found him in
possession of a large amount of LSD.

Seguna was charged with felony possession of a controlled
substance.

"There may be more felony arrests in the offing," Monroe
said.

Most of the nearly 30 people arrested paid cash bail and were
released. Though they came from as far away as Colorado and
Pennsylvania, they will have to return to Lake Placid Village Court
for arraignment, most by mid April.

If they don't show, arrest warrants will be issued, police
said.

Caligiore said neither concert producers nor ORDA condone the
incidence of drugs or drug use at snoe.down shows.

"This is the other side of the coin. It's a part of this equation
that's repulsive. The music was outstanding; come and enjoy that," he
said. "They very well knew we had a deterrent in effect out there."

"We put in $5,300 of overtime last weekend to make sure it was a safe
event," Monroe said, questioning the impact on Lake Placid's quality
of life.

Area police have worked hard to get drugs out of the region with
several stings in recent months.

"To me, it's a quality-of-life issue and not a good representation of
what the community wants as a whole."

Ironman, Monroe said, draws more than 10,000 people -- mostly athletes
and their families -- to Lake Placid every year.

"And we have zero arrests. Overtime is spent on traffic control, not
keeping drugs out of the village."

Concert organizers from Great Northeast Production couldn't say if the
event would return a third year.

Spokesperson Adam Lewis, interviewed Saturday, observed everyone
"really enjoys coming to the Lake Placid area."

The sentiment was not shared by the police chief.

"Why should the village have to pay all this money for one event that
brings in drugs?" Monroe said.

"What kind of message is that?"