With heavy hearts and sadness, the Vernon Police Department would like to express our condolences to members of the Whitesboro Police Department and their families as they attempt to work through and process the tragic death of one of their own.

*** Public Safety Announcement ***

November 2, 2017

The Vernon police department received two complaints today regarding the discovery of a silver-colored sewing needle inside a package of red Twizzler Twists candy, and in or near a children's Halloween candy bag.

The two victims are not related and claim they do not know each other. This is being investigated as separate incidents at this time.

The video of the woman discovering the sewing needle inside the red Twizzlers Twists package is one of the subjects who was interviewed by Vernon police and subsequently, filed a formal complaint.

Please carefully inspect your children's candy if you and/or your family trick-or-treated in the village of Vernon on Halloween. Area of concern are the neighborhoods of Peterboro Street, Black Avenue West and East, Judson Drive and Curtis Road.

The below-listed photograph is the actual sewing needle the second victim discovered among her children's candy. Both victims indicated the sewing needle seen in the photograph is the identical sewing needle seen on the Facebook video.

These incidents are being investigated criminally and more information will be available when applicable. If you feel you have been victimized this Halloween, please contact Vernon police officer Green at (315) 829-2550.

*** ARREST NOTIFICATION ***

On Friday, September 15, 2017, members of the Vernon police department assisted members of the Oneida county sheriff's office narcotics unit, along with the New York state department of tax and finance and the city of Rome police department with the execution of a search warrant at a business in the town of Vernon, New York.

A joint investigation into the sale and distribution of heroin and un-taxed cigarettes was co-launched by the Vernon police department and the Oneida County sheriff's office regarding
an employee at "Three Aces Auto," located at 5110 State Route 5 in the town of Vernon, New York, selling and distributing narcotic drugs and cigarettes.

Arrested and charged:

Morries L. Briggs, 51, Oneida, New York.

Mr. Briggs was taken into custody on-scene and transported to the Oneida County sheriff's office for processing. Mr. Briggs was arraigned in Vernon town court where $20,000 bail was placed. Mr. Briggs was committed to the Oneida County jail as a result.

Mr. Briggs has been charged with:

Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the third degree, Criminal Tax Fraud in the fifth degree, and Possession/Transport for sale of Unstamped/Unlawfully Stamped Cigarettes.

Illegal possession of prescription pills, along with methamphetamine were discovered as a result of the search warrant. More charges are pending.

The Vernon police department would like to thank the Oneida County sheriff's office, the New York state department of tax and finance and the city of Rome police department for their assistance and dedication to this case.

*** ARREST NOTIFICATION ***

On Tuesday, August 1, 2017, while on foot patrol, VPD Officer Green located the below-pictured female wading in the Sconondoa Creek, southeast of Bartholomew Park, smoking marijuana while supervising her four-year-old son, who was observed playing in the creek.

The female, who was accompanied by another adult female and her three-year-old son, and while under the influence of marijuana, failed to provide a life vest or other flotation device to prevent an accidental drowning to her four-year-old child.

Arrested and charged with the following is:

Shannon E. Richards, 30, Westmoreland, New York.

Ms. Richards is charged with one count of criminal possession of marijuana in the fifth degree, a class B misdemeanor and one count of endangering the welfare of a child less than seventeen-years-old, a class A misdemeanor.

Ms. Richards was processed and issued an appearance ticket and released to the New Hartford police department on a separate bench warrant issued out of New Hartford town court for her failure to pay a fine on a trespass conviction.

Ms. Richards is scheduled to appear for arraignment in Vernon village court on Wednesday, September 13, 2017 at 4:00 PM.

The custody of Ms. Richards four-year-old son was released to her friend who was not impaired by marijuana. Officer Green contacted Child Protective Services, who will follow-up with this investigation at a later date.