NORWICH – A South New Berlin man sits accused of robbery in the local jail on $25,000 bail despite the District Attorney’s Office recommendation of higher bail.

27-year-old Jeffrey Scott Carbral was arrested following an incident that began in the City of Norwich and concluded after negotiations at the man’s residence on Ranch Lane in South New Berlin.

Monday, April 4, 2016, at approximately 11:10 a.m., the Norwich Police Department received a call from the Chenango County Sheriff's Office 911 Center. It was reported that a subject was demanding prescription narcotics at the a pharmacy in Norwich.

According to police, as NPD officers were being dispatched, the 911 Center received several more calls reporting the same incident.

It was initially reported the suspect may have been armed with a handgun, but “This was later determined not to be true,” said Norwich Police Chief Rodney Marsh.

Police said that prior to the first officers arriving on the scene, the suspect left the area in a vehicle. The initial responding officers continued to the scene, while additional officers began searching for the suspect and his vehicle.

Several minutes after the initial report, a citizen called the 911 Center and reported they were following the suspect’s vehicle. The citizen stayed on the phone with the 911 Center and continued to report locations and directions of travel.

At approximately 11:30 a.m., a Trooper with the New York State Police, with help from the citizen, located the suspect’s vehicle on Ranch Lane, just off of Sunset Drive in the Town of South New Berlin.

The suspect had exited the vehicle and made his way into a residence. Additional law enforcement officers from several different agencies responded to the scene and after approximately 40 minutes, the suspect was taken into custody without further incident.

Cabral was charged with robbery in the third degree, a class D felony; and petit larceny, a class A misdemeanor.

The robbery charge alleges that Cabral forcibly stole property, while the petit larceny charge alleges that Cabral stole property. Norwich Police confirmed that a hand written note demanding various prescription narcotics was recovered as part of the investigation.

The Norwich Police Department was assisted by the New York State Police, the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office, the New Berlin Police Department and the New York State Environmental Conservation Police.

Cabral was arraigned shortly after 4 p.m. Monday in front of the Honorable Judge James Downey.

Cabral was read the allegations against him, and was given an application for a public defender.

“I have a drug problem,” said Cabral. He said he and his family moved to the area from Providence, RI in an attempt to get away from the drugs in that area. “I have a possession of a controlled substance on me there, and a couple minor charges,” said Cabral. “I’ve never been in trouble in New York, I am married with two small children.”