Judge sets $200K bail for 2 Albion men

ALBION – Two men from Albion, facing numerous drug-related charges, were arraigned in Orleans County Court last week and sent to jail on $200,000 bail.

Both Lee Tisdale and Dennis Calkins pleaded not guilty to their alleged crimes.

Tisdale, 43, of 2822 Lattin Rd. was arrested in March following a six-month investigation into the sale and distribution of cocaine, ecstasy and methylone “bath salts” in Orleans County.

He was arraigned in County Court last week on charges of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third and fifth degrees, and criminal sale of controlled substance in the third and fifth degrees.

County Court Judge James Punch also arraigned an Albion man last week after he was arrested on Feb. 13 following a vehicle stop on Route 31 near the Save-A-Lot grocery store.

Dennis Calkins, 34, of Hamilton Street and his wife Tammy A. Kuhns-Calkins, 44, of Elba were both arraigned.

Mr. Calkins on Feb. 13 allegedly jumped from the car while it was in motion and fled to a wooded area behind the grocery store. The Sheriff’s Department K-9 unit helped to track down Calkins.

He and his wife were arraigned on charges of unlawful manufacture of methamphetamine, unlawful fleeing of a police officer in the third degree, criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument and reckless driving.

Mr. Calkins also faces charges of resisting arrest.

The judge set bail at $200,000 for Mr. Calkins and $10,000 for his wife.