NORTHAMPTON — A drug raid near downtown turned up 650 bags of heroin early Wednesday morning, according to the Northampton Police Department.
Northampton police and the Northwestern district attorney’s anti-crime task force executed a search warrant at an apartment building at 36 Bedford Terrace, located off Elm Street. Police said when they searched the apartment, they found 650 bags of heroin and two baggies of cocaine. The estimated street value of the heroin is $3,250, according to Capt. John Carltedge.
Police arrested two Northampton residents — Mark Santasania, 56, and Michael Lapan, 47 — on drug related offenses. Santasania is charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute and a drug violation near a school/park. The apartment is located near Smith College.
Lapan is charged with possession of cocaine, a subsequent offense, and knowingly being present where heroin is kept.
Both men pleaded not guilty to their respective charges in Northampton District Court Wednesday afternoon.
Police arrived at the Bedford Terrace Apartments around 6:10 a.m. Wednesday. When they entered the apartment, officers found Lapan asleep on a cot in the living room and Santasania asleep in his bedroom. After both men were woken up and Santasania read his Miranda rights, Santasania allegedly told officers he was selling heroin to support his own habit.
“Santasania also stated ‘You don’t have to rip the place apart, its right there’ as he was pointing at his dresser inside his bedroom,” according to court documents.
Inside the dresser, police allegedly found the heroin and a small amount of cash and drug ledgers indicating names and money amounts, according to documents. Police also searched Lapan’s backpack and found a small clear bag containing a white powdery substance believed to be cocaine. They located a second small bag of what they believed to be cocaine in his wallet, according to court documents.
In court, Assistant Northwestern District Attorney Lori Odierna requested that Santasania be held on $1,000 bail citing the severity of the charges, which if convicted carry a two year and one day mandatory minimum sentence. She also cited his criminal record, which she described as three pages long and dated back to 1989.
Defense attorney Kevin J. Kelley told the judge that Santasania was currently undergoing treatment for lung cancer and had a port that needed to be cleaned regularly and that he has no money. He also argued Santasania has no record of not appearing in court and that his most recent substance related charge dates back to 2003 or 2004.
“He ought to be given the opportunity to prove to the court he will be here for his next court date and on time,” Kelley said.
Judge W. Michael Goggins set Santasania’s bail at $1,000.
Later that afternoon, Kelley argued a bail review in front of Superior Court Judge Richard Carey. Carey denied Kelley’s motion to reduce bail.
Oderina argued Lapan be held on $500 bail due to his criminal history, which included four appearance defualts. Defense attorney Lucy DeLaCour told the judge that placing any amount of bail on Lapan would be tantamount to ordering him held without right to bail as he had no money.
Referring to Lapan’s defaults, DeLaCour said they occurred in 1991 and Lapan had a very strong history of showing up to court even when facing a significant amount of time.
“This is a case in which he is in a very different situation than his co-defendant,” DeLaCour said.
Lapan had arrived at Santasania’s apartment the night before around 6 and after watching television went to sleep, DeLaCour said. She argued there was no evidence to suggest Lapan knew there was heroin in the apartment.
Goggins set Lapan’s bail at $250, which he was able to post later that day. While out on bail, Lapan must remain drug and alcohol free and submit to random testing.
Both men are U.S. Army veterans, according to their attorneys. They are both scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 31.
Emily Cutts can be reached at ecutts@gazettetnet.com.