Queens Man Accused of Trying to Sneak Drugs Into Broome County Jail

A Downstate man is accused of trying to sneak drugs into the Broome County Jail.

The Sheriff’s Office Corrections Investigation Unit arrested 55-year-old Marcello McDonald of Queens after finding the accused robber in possession of marijuana, Benzodiazepine and Oxycodone pills, matches and strikers.

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Officials say they were booking McDonald into the correctional facility on Upper Front Street in the Town of Dickinson on July 5 as a CAP Detainee.  He was to be arraigned on a charge of Robbery in the First Degree. Corrections officials during the intake say they found the contraband items, including the pain killers for which McDonald did not have a valid, current prescription.

He’s charged with three felony counts of Promoting Prison Contraband as well as two misdemeanor counts of Promoting Prison Contraband and misdemeanor Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7^th Degree.

A news release from the Sheriff’s office says the 55-year-old Queens man will be arraigned in Town of Dickinson Court.

He continues to be remanded to the Broome County Sheriff’s Office Correctional Facility.

While the abuse of painkillers like Oxycodone is well documented, people may not be as familiar with the illicit use of Benzodiazepine class narcotics.

There are six drugs in the Benzodiazepine category as listed by the United States Drug Enforcement Agency. One of those listed drugs is the anxiety drug Valium as well as the widely advertised Xanax and Paxipam. Benzodiazepine drugs, sometimes called “benzos” work to calm or sedate a person by raising the level of inhibitory neurotransmitters in the brain.