Author: Aidan Cahill

The US Department of Justice has announced a major drug bust that led to the arrest of 83 individuals across Washington, Warren and Saratoga Counties. 

The bust, dubbed “Operation Fast Track” seized 2,100 counterfeit pills, 1,100 fentanyl pills, 125 grams of methamphetamine, 510 grams of crack cocaine, 569 grams of cocaine, 2,00 grams of fentanyl & heroin, more than 500 lbs. of marijuana and 8 firearms across three counties. 

Of the 83 defendants, 18 are being charged at the federal level while 65 are being prosecuted at the county level. The operation was carried out by several agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration New York Enforcement Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, New York State Police, Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Warren County Sheriff’s Office and the Saratoga Springs Police Department.

In Saratoga Springs alone, investigators were able to seize 60 grams of fentanyl, 47 grams of crack cocaine, 123 grams of powder cocaine, 600 pills containing analog benzodiazepines and methamphetamine, 300 pressed pills containing fentanyl, counterfeit Adderall, Ecstasy pills, and crystal methamphetamine, according to a press release put out by the Saratoga Springs Police Department. 

In addition, Saratoga Springs Police arrested six people on felony drug charges, 14 on drug positions, and two individuals on outstanding warrants.

“The Saratoga Springs Police Department remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those who seek to profit from the distribution of dangerous narcotics,” Saratoga Springs Police Chief Tyler McIntosh said in a statement.  “Together, we will continue to disrupt drug trafficking networks and protect the communities we serve.”

Of the 18 defendants being charged at the federal level, court records show that at least six of the individuals were charged for actions that took place in Saratoga County. Those six are as follows: 

• Joshua Allen: three counts of distribution of controlled substance.

• Kelly Jacobs and Christopher Belle: conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.

• Shamik Miley: Distribution of controlled substance. 

• Sean Phillips: Possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. 

• Patricio Tornez-Solano: illegal reentry of an alien. 

Of the five cases, court records show that at least three of them emerged from investigations or arrests by the Saratoga Springs Police Department. The documents also gave some insight into how police uncovered the various alleged illegal acts. 

In the case of Jacobs and Belle, the two were arrested after New York State Police stopped their vehicle on a traffic infraction on I-87 and allegedly found over two pounds of fentanyl in the back seat of the car. 

In the case of Miley, the court documents state that the evidence came from a confidential informant who was provided by police with recording equipment and marked bills to facilitate a drug buy. That case recovered over 27 grams of cocaine. Video of his arrest was later posted online by the Saratoga Police Department.

Phillips, meanwhile, was arrested by the DEA after he allegedly used the dark web to purchase illegal drugs in the Town of Greenfield. According to court documents, the DEA executed a search warrant and found 400 bromazepam pills and crystal meth. 

“The arrests of 83 individuals, removal of eight firearms, and the seizure of two kilos of fentanyl and heroin, along with thousands of counterfeit pills, some of which contained fentanyl and bromazepam, and other dangerous narcotics represent far more than enforcement statistics. They represent lives protected and communities made safer,” stated DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. “The growing presence of counterfeit pills containing substances like bromazepam, often mixed with fentanyl, continues to pose an extraordinary threat to public safety, potentially turning a single pill into a fatal dose. Every pill removed from our streets is one less opportunity for tragedy. This operation demonstrates the power of partnership and our unwavering commitment to identifying, targeting, and dismantling those individuals and drug trafficking organizations that profit from poisoning our communities.”

On June 17, 2026, State Police assigned to the Trooper G Community Stabilization Unit, in partnership with the United States Border Patrol, arrested Tyler Thompson, 41, of Schenectady, NY, for Criminal Possession of Cannabis 1st, a class “D” felony, and vehicle and traffic law violations. 

On June 17, 2026, at about 10:53 a.m. Troopers stopped a vehicle on Interstate 87 Northway in Malta for a vehicle and traffic law violation. The driver was identified as Thompson.During the investigation and with the assistance of State Police K9 “J,” approximately 300 pounds of cannabis were located in the vehicle. 

Thompsonwas arrested and transported to SP Saratoga for processing. He was arraigned at the Malta Town Court and released on his own recognizance.

The busiest EMS agency in Saratoga County is celebrating 75 years of service to the community.

The Clifton Park Halfmoon Emergency Corps celebrated it’s 75th anniversary in a small ceremony conducted on June 22. The ceremony featured a ribbon cutting and presentation of awards by several elected officials. 

The agency covers three municipalities within Saratoga County — Clifton Park, Halfmoon and Mechanicville, and runs around 8,600 calls a year accounting for 25% of all EMS calls in the County, according to Executive Director Keith Collins.

While the organization is planning a large gala in September but worked with the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce to hold a smaller ceremony closer to when the organization was formally incorporated. 

During the June 22 ceremony, the organization was presented with the Empire Award by New York State Senator James Tedisco (R-44) who represents all the area covered by the Emergency Corps. 

“You are the best insurance company in the world, cost wise, service wise,” Tedisco said. “You make the difference in people not being injured seriously or losing their life. When they go to bed here in our community, they understand when there’s an emergency, whether it’s in the vehicle, whether they’re home, whether they’ve been in the backyard, you are going to be there to service them in the most important thing that they need, and that is protecting their family and them individually.” 

Similar sentiments were expressed by Halfmoon Supervisor Kevin Tollisen Clifton Park Supervisor Philip Barrett. Barrett specifically highlighted the organization’s work during the COVID-19 pandemic 2020.

“This organization didn’t step back, they stepped forward and made sure that Clifton Park, Halfmoon, and beyond were taken care of professionally,” Barrett said. “You did everything necessary to make sure that you could continue to provide the great coverage.”

While the organization may be the busiest EMS agency in the county, its origins are humbler. Collins said that five community members started Clifton Park Halfmoon Emergency Corps to formalize patient transport to local hospitals. While some fire local fire districts had “rescue squads” to handle patient care, the organization was unique in its independent focus on emergency care.

 The organization was formally incorporated on June 19, 1951 and has been evolving ever since. Collins, who first joined in 1991 as a volunteer EMT, said that when he joined the agency, they ran around 1000 calls a year and was comprised of mostly volunteers. However, when Clifton Park began a large population increase in the late 90s, the organization began hiring more paid personnel and expanding it’s facilities, including their current headquarters which was built in 1997. 

Today the organization runs around 8,600 calls a year and comprises 88 paid staff members.

One of the things Collins highlighted as driving their success is the cooperation with local leaders and the outreach done by the organization into the local community.

“We invested long ago in a program to untraditional for EMS to get out and do outreach, so we do proceeds, we do defensive driving, we do an EpiPen familiarization course, Safe City, and of course CPR,” Collins said. “We are ingrained in this community, and we want to stay here. We invest in them because they invest in us.” 

As Saratoga Springs man has been arrested after he allegedly pointed a laser pointer at a New York State Police Helicopter while it was conducting a training exercise. 

Daymian Massago, 20, of Saratoga Springs was arrested on June 12 and charged with Felony directing a laser at an aircraft. He’s accused of intentionally shining a laser pointer at the aircraft.

According to the New York State Police, the incident occurred on June 11, 2026, around 10:10 p.m. The helicopter, a State Police Airbus H14D3, was conducting a training exercise when the laser was shined on the aircraft. The laser caused a “temporary visual disturbance” and forced the helicopter to alter its flight path. 

Investigations determined that the laser originated from Louden Road in Saratoga Springs and Massago was arrested the next day. New York State Police confirmed to Saratoga TODAY that no troopers were injured in the lasering and the incident was reported to both the FBI and FAA. Court records indicate that no federal charges have been filed as of the time of publication.

Flight records provided by Flightradar24 show that the helicopter took off from a helipad at Albany International Airport at around 9:30 p.m. and began flying around Saratoga County at about 2000 feet barometric altitude. 

At around 10:06 p.m., the altitude of the aircraft began dropping, hitting 875 feet before climbing back to over 2000 feet at 10:12 p.m. The aircraft briefly circled Loudon Road before resuming its flight to the north. It returned to Albany International Airport around 11:40 p.m.

Lasering an aircraft is both a state and federal offense. On the federal level, offenders can face a prison sentence of up to five years in jail and up $11,000 in fines. In New York, directing a laser pointer at an aircraft is a Class E felony and can result in up to four years in prison.