Click here to subscribe today or Login.
KINGSTON — Police have arrested another alleged player in a drug-distribution network that ran heroin and crack cocaine from New York City to this area.
Officials say they were able to track down Shavonne Saxon after she recently dropped drugs while inside a bank in Edwardsville.
Saxon, 29, of Kingston, now faces charges of possession with intent to deliver cocaine, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Her residence on Bowman Avenue was raided Thursday morning.
Police said Saxon, who goes by the alias of “Queeny,” entered United Check Cashing in Edwardsville to conduct a business transaction March 23. Detective Edward Palka showed the surveillance footage from inside the bank to reporters.
Saxon could be seen leaving the bank with a toddler. But as she went to leave, she dropped what appeared to be a bag of a white substance on the bank’s floor. Palka said another customer reported the bag to employees, and police later identified it as 14 grams of crack cocaine packaged for sale.
During the search of Saxon’s residence Thursday, investigators found approximately 220 grams of cocaine, a handgun, an undisclosed amount of cash, and marijuana, authorities report. As a prior convicted felon, Saxon is prohibited from having a handgun, Palka noted.
In mid-February, authorities arrested 10 suspects for their alleged roles in the same drug operation that Saxon is accused of participating in.
Charles Gibson, 27, of the Bronx, N.Y., also known as “Bro” or “Bucky,” was the alleged ringleader. Sources reportedly told police Gibson and his associates were obtaining large amounts of heroin and cocaine from the Bronx and distributing them in Plymouth, Kingston, and Wilkes-Barre.
Saxon was arraigned on her charges before District Judge Diana Malast, and she is scheduled for a preliminary hearing before Malast at 9 a.m. on April 26.
She is jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $300,000 bail.
Taking part in Thursday’s raid were Kingston narcotics detectives, members of the Luzerne County Drug Task Force and federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
