Suffolk County Police arrested three people on drug charges after they recovered a variety of drugs and drug paraphernalia in a Patchogue home on Saturday.
After receiving complaints of drug activity from the community, Fifth squad detectives conducted an investigation at 39 
Avery Ave. where heroin, oxycodone, crack cocaine and smoking paraphernalia were found.
Erak Bryant, 33, who resides in the house, was charged with three counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance and four counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance.
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Steven Wilkison, 21, of 37 Boyle Rd., was charged with four counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Katherine Vermeulen, 45, of 9D Lakeshore Rd., was charged with one count of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance and one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance.
Bryant and Vermeulen will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip today. Wilkison was released on bail.
Tags: Erak Bryant, Heroin, Katherine Vermeulen, Patchogue, Steven Wilkison
If you don’t want criminals, gangs and terrorists to profit from drug sales you must conclude that such sales must be removed from their palette of activities.
It is time to realize that after 100 years of “warring” against drug use our current approach continues to be ineffective. But, it is also having the effect of ensuring drug sales become increasingly lucrative and profitable for individuals who then use those profits to create considerable harm in our communities and nation as a whole.
In the Netherlands, the government views drugs as being either “hard” or “soft”. “Soft” drug use is tolerated and regulated. The police know everyone involved, quality control is ensured and users are cloistered into a ‘safe” environment. As a result, the Netherlands has not seen a significant increase in drug abuse in decades. However, the U.S. with its’, all or nothing approach to drug use; has during the same period seen an explosion in drug use and abuse.
If this nation continues to demonize drug use, this nation will suffer the consequences of its own immoral stupidity.
Because drug use is illegal, criminals, gangs and terrorists are taking away huge profits from the sale of products that is clearly in high demand from a significant portion of the population.
Because drug use is illegal, criminals, gangs and terrorists are doing whatever it takes to “maximize profits”. They are creating new forms of drugs which are significantly more potent and dangerous then any naturally occuring varieties.
Because drug use is illegal, criminals, gangs and terrorists are introducing unnatural elements, chemicals, compounds and other toxic substances into the drugs they sell, in effect creating health issues that will not manifest themselves for decades to come.
Obviously, somebody is using these commodities. It is high time the government stop trying to alter the behavior of private individuals.
Move the production, use and sale of “soft” drugs into the business sector. Business already runs alcohol and tabacco sales. There is no reason why this can’t be done with other less harmful drugs such as marijuana.
The resulting tax bounty can then be turned to education, rehabilitation, regulation and finally enforcement.
Time to “re-think” what we are doing. If we continue to do what we are doing, we are going to continue to get what we are getting.
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