Drug, forgery charges pressed
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By Josh O'Gorman Herald Staff - Published: April 23, 2008
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A Ludlow couple is facing several charges, including drug possession, forgery and child cruelty, after a police search of their apartment on Friday.
On Tuesday, Gregory R. Downing, 22, pleaded innocent in District Court to a felony count of forgery and three misdemeanors, including marijuana possession, narcotic possession and child cruelty. The maximum penalty these charges carry is 13 years in prison and $4,000 in fines.
Stephanie Sapp, 20, pleaded innocent to two misdemeanor charges of marijuana possession and narcotics possession. She could face 18 months in prison and $2,500 in fines if convicted.
According to an affidavit filed with the court, on April 13, Ludlow Police received a complaint from a man that someone had written and cashed one of his personal checks for $385.
The man said his prescription bottles of MS Contin and Xanax were missing as well, police said.
The man told police that on April 5 he had gone on vacation to Mexico and when he returned on April 13, he learned the check had been cashed and his medications were missing, according to police.
Police asked the man for a copy of the cashed check, which had been made out to Downing, who used his driver's license to cash the check, police said.
The complainant also provided copies of other checks he had written in the past for comparison, police said. According to investigating officer Richard A. King, it was apparent that the signature on the check in question did not match the signatures on other checks. King also noted that the check was cashed on April 8 while the man was out of the country.
Police learned that the alleged victim lived downstairs from Downing and Sapp, that Downing had been in the man's apartment many times and knew where the man kept his checkbook and his medication, police said.
On April 19, police, armed with a search warrant, went to Downing's apartment. Police said Downing was home with children, ages 4 and 2.
"The children were allowed to roam freely about the residence and at the time that we entered the master bedroom door was open," King wrote in his affidavit.
In a dresser drawer in the master bedroom, police found 16 syringes and several spoons and cotton balls with narcotics residue, police said. In another dresser drawer police found a digital scale and 29 Xanax pills, police said.
"The drawer was well within reach of the children and as such posed a clear and immediate threat to their safety," King wrote in his affidavit.
Police said that they found two spoons with narcotics residue and 9.6 grams of marijuana in a dresser that contained children's clothing.
Police said a glass pipe was on the nightstand and two water pipes, commonly known as "bongs," were on the floor, police said.
In the bathroom, police said, they found medication bottles prescribed to people other than Downing or Sapp, police said.
While police arrested Downing on the spot, Sapp was arrested from her job at Cumberland Farms on Main Street. Police said Sapp confirmed the residue found on the spoons was from a narcotic and Sapp told them she had purchased the drugs from a friend.
According to police, Downing admitted he had cashed the check, but denied stealing the man's pills, saying he had purchased the drugs for $80. Downing also said in the past he had purchased the man's morphine and fentanyl patches, police said.
Following their arraignments, both Downing and Sapp were released without bail on the condition they have no further contact with their neighbor.
Contact Josh O'Gorman at josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com.
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