Police: Riverside man, 83, ran 'walk-up narcotics service' from his home

An elderly man was arrested last week on felony drug charges after allegedly running a “walk-up narcotics service” from his home in Riverside, Southampton police said.

John Woods, 83, was arrested Friday morning by Southampton police’s Emergency Services Unit after officers allegedly recovered drugs and money during a warranted search of his home, according to a police news release.

Woods was charged with felony third- and fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and arraigned in Southampton Justice Court, police said. He pleaded not guilty to both charges, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office.

Police recovered what they believed to be crack cocaine packaged in 17 knotted plastic baggies that Woods intended to sell, according to documents obtained from the district attorney’s office.

Police also recovered more than $500 cash from Woods, and $2,579 cash and four cellphones from the home — items found in packaging “consistent with narcotic sales,” according to the charging documents.

Woods is being represented by Suffolk County Legal Aid Society, which did not immediately return a request for comment.

The arrest followed a monthslong East End Drug Task Force investigation sparked by “numerous complaints from the community about high volumes of foot traffic and drug use in the area,” police said.

“No community should have to suffer the scourge of drug dealing in their neighborhoods, especially brazen and notorious activity that is continually witnessed by its residents, as has been alleged in this case,” Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney said in a statement. 

Southampton Police Chief James Kiernan told Newsday that Woods’ neighbors had complained about activity there for more than a year. The traffic from the house made it "where kids couldn’t even play on the street anymore,” Kiernan said. 

With Woods’ arrest, Kiernan said he’s hopeful “people will get their neighborhood back.”