People v. Arias

Appeal from a judgment of the County Court of Schenectady County (Feldstein, J.), rendered May 13, 1991, upon a verdict convicting defendant of the crime of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree.

Defendant and codefendant Julie Aviles were arrested on March 20, 1990 after Police Officer Nicola Messere witnessed defendant pass Aviles a plastic sandwich bag containing a white powdery substance which later proved to be cocaine. They were indicted on two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree. Prior to the commencement of defendant’s…