Medina man facing multiple charges, allegedly disguised fentanyl as prescription pills

Photos from Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task: Law enforcement seized fentanyl, Xanax bars, high-grade marijuana, $156,000 in cash, a .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol, scales, and numerous packaging and other drug paraphernalia.

Staff Reports Posted 10 February 2023 at 12:14 pm

MEDINA – A Medina man is facing drug and weapons after search warrants on Wednesday by several law enforcement agencies.

Xavier Hand

Xavier Hand, 26, has been charged after an investigation into the sale and distribution of fentanyl pills disguised as prescription oxycodone pills, disguised Xanax bars and high-grade marijuana, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force reported today.

The Task Force, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, the Medina Police Department and the Medina Police K9 executed search warrants at 11655 Million Dollar Highway storage units in the town of Ridgeway and at Hand’s residence at 510 West Ave., apt. 5a in the village of Medina.

Law enforcement seized 114 fentanyl pills disguised as Oxycodone pills, over 2,000 disguised Xanax bars, over a half of pound of Psilocybin mushrooms, over 14 pounds of high-grade marijuana, over $ 156,000 in cash, a loaded .40 caliber semi-auto pistol, scales, numerous packaging material and other drug paraphernalia.

Hand has been charged with 1 count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree (class B felony), 1 count of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree (class D felony) and 1 count of criminal possession of weapon in the second degree loaded firearm (class C felony).

Hand was arraigned in CAP court by the Murray Town Justice Ted Spada Jr. and was committed to the Orleans County Jail on $2,000 cash bail. Hand is currently on Orleans County probation and a probation violation warrant was filed with the Orleans County Jail.

He was again arraigned in CAP court by Albion Town Justice Gary Moore on the probation violation and was committed to the Orleans County Jail on $25,000 cash bail or $50,000 bond.

Assisting in the investigation was the Orleans County Probation Department, the State Police, the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Agency and the Albion Police Department K9.

This investigation is ongoing, and further charges pending lab results and further arrests are pending, the Task Force said.