NORWICH – Samantha M. Remillard, 35, of Plymouth has opted to change her original not guilty plea to a plea of guilty regarding charges stemming from a drug related arrest from last year.
Remillard appeared in Chenango County Court on Monday August 17, 2015, before Chenango County Court Judge Frank B. Revoir Jr. for the purpose of the possibility of a change of plea.
Remillard appeared with her attorney, Alyssa Congdon. District Attorney Joseph A. McBride spoke on behalf of the people.
Prior to this court date, on Friday, November 7, 2014, at approximately 9:20 p.m., Norwich Police Department officers forcibly entered a single-family residence, located on 12 State Street in the City of Norwich, with the authority of a search warrant signed by Chenango County Court Judge Frank B. Revoir, Jr.
After forcibly gaining entrance into the residence, NPD officers arrested three individuals for alleged drug crimes and seized large quantities of heroin, “crack” cocaine and cash.
There was also a child under the age of 12 found inside the residence at the time the NPD officers entered the residence last November.
The three arrests followed an investigation that began when officers were notified of a high amount of traffic to and from the residence.
Miguel A. Abreu, 28, of Brooklyn, Shaun P. Sullivan, then 34, of Norwich and Samantha M. Remillard, then 34, of Norwich were the three individuals arrested during last November’s drug related arrests.
At the time of the incident, Abreu was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility in lieu of $25,000 cash bail or $50,000 bond; Remillard was remanded in lieu of $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond; and Sullivan was remanded to the CCCF without bail.
The child at the residence was turned over to a family member and proper calls were made concerning that child’s welfare.
On July 20, 2015, co-defendant Miguel A. Abreu, 28, of Brooklyn, also changed his plea to guilty on his top charge of the indictment. Abreu pled guilty to the top charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree; a class B felony. Abreu was sentenced to five years in the New York State Department of Corrections with three years post-release supervision.
All three defendants were charged at the time of the incident with the following: two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a class B felony; criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, a class A misdemeanor; criminally using drug paraphernalia, a class A misdemeanor; criminal nuisance in the first degree, a class E felony; endangering the welfare of a Child, a class A misdemeanor.
Court began with Congdon discussing a possible plea offer which was made to her client on June 10, 2015. “My client accepts this offer and would like to change her plea to guilty,” said Congdon.
The offer from the District Attorney’s Office was if a guilty plea was made, Remillard would be pleading guilty to the top charge of criminal possession of controlled substance in the third degree; a class B felony. Remillard would also be required to sign the written waiver of appeal and be made to testify against her co-defendants truthfully if necessary.
“We ask for 4 months weekends because my client is employed full time,” said Congdon.
Revoir read the charge, “one count, on November 7, 2014, at 9:20 p.m. at 12 State Street in Norwich, New York. You were found to be in possession of two wrapped packages of cocaine with intent to sell.”
