Riverhead couple faces more drug charges after second raid
A Riverhead couple arrested in a March drug raid was back in court Thursday afternoon, now facing a second round of drug and child endangerment charges, police said.
James Leggon Jr., 39, and Victoria Reyes, 26, both of Oakland Drive North, were arrested Thursday morning after members of the DA’s East End Drug Task Force and Riverhead Town police again executed a search warrant at their home, authorities said.
Mr. Leggon and Ms. Reyes were arraigned at Southampton Town Justice Court about 3 p.m., because Riverhead court proceedings were not being held this week, police said. They were each being charged with felony criminal nuisance and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance after police found crack cocaine on the premises, prosecutors said.
The couple allegedly confessed to selling crack cocaine, Justice Barbara Wilson said in court.
“She says it’s his; he says it’s hers,” Justice Wilson said.
The couple is also facing child endangerment charges, as Mr. Leggon’s 13-year-old child was home at the time, prosecutors said in court.
Their Oakland Drive North home, in which the two drug suspects have been living for about eight years, was also raided by East End Task Force members March 7.
Following that raid, the couple lost temporary custody of their children, prosecutors said in court.
Prosecutors said Mr. Leggon has one prior felony conviction and three prior misdemeanor convictions.
Mr. Leggon’s mother has temporary custody of the couple’s three small children, Mr. Leggon said in court.
In March, they were each charged three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, as their 1- and 2-year-old girls and 4-year-old boy were found to be living in unsanitary conditions in the house at the time, prosecutors said in court back in March.
“You’ve already lost your children,” Justice Wilson said to Ms. Reyes in court today. “I couldn’t imagine anything more painful than losing my child.”
Mr. Leggon and Ms. Reyes were also charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a weapon and unlawful possession of marijuana in the March raid, according to a report.
Mr. Leggon is being held on $100,000 bond or $50,000 cash or credit.
Ms. Reyes is being held on $50,000 bail.
The couple is due back in court Wednesday, May 8.
