In Montauk, Things Go Better With Coke?

As in summers past, downtown Montauk is seeing a number of arrests made by East Hampton Town police on cocaine possession charges. This past week, two men were charged at the felony level for allegedly having more than a half gram of the narcotic in their possession at the time of their arrest.

Dennis Lestrange, 24, who told the court during his arraignment that he recently moved to Houston from Long Island, was arrested on the felony possession charge on South Elmwood Avenue near the back of the Memory Motel early morning Friday, August 2. He was sitting in a parked car with a friend at the time, in an area known for drug trafficking. Police say they found two vials of the white powder in Lestrange’s left pants pocket.

“You’ve been charged with a Class D felony,” East Hampton Town Justice Lisa Rana said during his arraignment later that day. Lestrange told the court he was scheduled to return to Texas for his new job. “You’re here now,” Rana said. “Call up your employer and tell them you were detained.” She put him on Justice Steven Tekulsky’s August 8 criminal calendar, to make sure that Lestrange has a lawyer in place, in order to expedite the legal process. He was released on $1000 bail.

A Montauk man, Daniel Shuman, 19, was arrested a little before midnight Friday, August 2. He was charged after a traffic stop on Montauk Highway near Second House Road. The arresting officer reported finding three small packets of cocaine on Shuman’s person, as well as in the car. He was released without bail.

Early morning July 27, town police arrested an 18-year-old Amagansett man, whose name was not released because of his age. He was said to have had a small quantity of cocaine in his pocket, leading to a misdemeanor possession charge. Police said that he resisted arrest and had to be subdued by the officer, leading to a second misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest. The teen was released after being arraigned later that morning without having to post bail.

t.e@indyeastend.com