Several arraigned in county court on drug charges

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 June 2014 at 12:00 am

Editor’s note: This story was updated from an earlier version.

ALBION – Four Orleans County residents were arraigned in county court on Monday on multiple charges for drug crimes. County Court Judge James Punch set bail at $200,000 for two of the defendants – Charles Ingram and Stephen Miles.

The arraignments follow arrests on April 1 when 16 people were charged following a six-month investigation into the sale and distribution of crack cocaine, heroin, prescription narcotics and marijuana in the village of Albion.

Not all 16 appeared in court on Monday. The four defendants in court entered not guilty pleas on Monday. The following were arraigned in county court for the April 1 arrests:

Charles G. Ingram, 58, 175 North Main St., Room No. 20, Albion. He has an extensive criminal history, with four prior felonies, District Attorney Joe Cardone said.

Ingram was arraigned on charges of three counts of criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree.

Stephen W. Miles, 51, of 175 North Main St., Room No. 12, Albion. He was arraigned on charges of one count of criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, one count of CSCS in the fourth, one count of CSCS in the fifth and two counts of CPCS in the fifth.

Miles has three prior felonies and five prior misdemeanors, “an incredible record,” Punch said in setting bail at $200,000. The judge also ordered a psychiatric evaluation for Miles.

Joseph B. James, 33, is a former Albion resident who now lives in Batavia. Punch set bail at $100,000 for James, who was arraigned on six counts of CSCS in the third, seven counts of CPCS in the third and one count of unlawfully dealing with a child in the first degree.

Melissa A. Warren, 28, is a former Albion resident who now lives in Batavia. Punch set bail at $2,500 for Warren, who has no previous criminal history.

She was arraigned on three counts of CSCS in the third degree, four counts of CPCS in the third, and one count of unlawfully dealing with a child in the first degree.