DRUG DEALERS " RUNNING SCARED," SHERIFF JARVIS SAYS

CANTON, NY --St. Lawrence County's special narcotics unit seized more
than $3 million in illegal street drugs and arrested 67 people on
felony charges last year.

The 13 year old Drug Task Force also has nabbed 10 of the largest
powder and crack cocaine dealers in the county over the two years,
according to a report that Sheriff Gary J. Javis will present to the
Board of Legislators Operations Committee on Monday.

Those dealers all sold several ounces of cocaine a week, Mr. Jarvis
wrote in the report, which was requested during last fall's budget
talks by Legislator Peter W. FitzRandolph, D-Canton.

Lawmakers said at the time they wanted to review all the county's
discretionary programs in the face of tough finances caused by the
slow economy and the events of Sept. 11.

"They had a very successful year," Mr Jarvis said Friday of the task
force. "Right now everything is going fine."

The task force investigated 153 cases last year involving sales of
cocaine, heroin, prescription drugs, Ecstasy(also known as MDMA),
psychotropic mushrooms, hashish and marijuana.

The squad includes three full-time sheriff's deputies who work
undercover buy and bust operations with a budget of $175,699 that is
entirely funded by the county.

Several other agencies assist the task force, including the
Ogdensburg City Police Department; the Massena, Canton, Gouverneur
and Potsdam village police departments; Canton College of Technology
police; state troopers and U.S. Customs, Drug Enforcement
Administration and Border Patrol teams.

"We are seeing an effect from the work of the task force," Mr. Jarvis
wrote in his report to lawmakers." "It is getting harder to buy
cocaine and other drugs in St. Lawrence County. Our people are
routinely being told when interviewing people that the dealers are
running scared and they are being more careful."

Legislator Richard P. Wilson, R-Ogdensburg, who voted against the
2000 budget because of his colleagues' refusal at the time to add a
third investigator to the anti-drug squad, said he hoped the task
force would not suffer cuts this year as lawmakers look to order
their fiscal priorities.

"I think we have a good plan and I think you're starting to see a lot
more drugs being uncovered up here," he said Friday. "I think it's a
workable dimension at the moment. We've had some successes. Have we
eliminated drugs? No. But you've got to up the cost of operation for
people. I would argue very strenuously toward continuation."

Mr. FitzRandolph could not be reached for comment Saturday.

Drugs seized by the task force last year and their estimated street
values included:

14.4 ounces(403.2 grams) of cocaine with a street value of $100 a
gram; total value $40,320.

38 packets of heroin at $60 a packet; total value $2,280.

1, 971 marijuana plants at $1,500 per plant; total value $2,956,500.

41 methadone pills at $40 a pill; total value $1,230.

20 pounds, 14 ounces of processed marijuana at $300 an ounce; total
value $100,200

17 grams of mushrooms at $10 a gram; total value $170

18.6 ounces (520.8 grams) of hashish at $10 per gram; Total value
$5,208 100 "hits" of Ecstasy at $39 a hit; total value $3,000.

89 prescription pills, including Ritalin and Tylenol with codeine, at
$2 to $7 a pill; total value $178 to $623.

The task force also took part in cash seizures and civil forfeitures
totaling $351,000 and seized two motor vehicles, two snowmobiles and
seven all-terrain vehicles with a total value of $75,000.

The squad sharesD cash and property seizures with the other agencies
that work on each bust. County proceeds go into fund that's used to
buy drugs for undercover operations.

"We now have help from various police agencies. We're very happy with
that," Mr. Wilson said. "We have cooperation from the board, and I
think you see the results."

The task force has been the center of controversy before. Former
Sheriff Keith K. Knowlton's proposal to add a third deputy caused a
storm of criticism in 1999, with county lawmakers saying the
sheriff's plan was not cost effective.

Mr. Knowlton fired back by accusing some legislators of being soft on
drugs and under the influence of ReconsiDer, a statewide nonprofit
group with a chapter in Ogdensburg, that promotes decriminalizing
drugs and lobbies for more emphasis on treatment.

ReconsiDer member Lee J. Monnet, town of Oswegatchie, plans to attend
Monday's presentation on the drug task force.

"That has a lot to do with where our tax dollars are going," said Mr.
Monnet, who is seeking the Libertarian Party nomination to run
against Assemblywoman Diedre K. Scozzafava, R-Gouverneur, in November.

Mr. Jarvis said the task force is adequately funded this year, but he
would not rule out asking for more officers if the need arises.

"I'm not looking to increase the staff, at this point," the sheriff
said. "I can't speak for down the road."