Thread: Substance abuse counselor at Cape Vincent prison arrested in steroids swap scheme

Substance abuse counselor at Cape Vincent prison arrested in steroids swap scheme

Cape Vincent prison: Substance abuse counselor suspended after charges lodged
By DAVID C. SHAMPINE
TIMES STAFF WRITER
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2011

A Clayton man who has been an alcohol and substance abuse counselor at Cape Vincent Correctional Facility for 12 years was arrested Monday night at Salmon Run Mall in an alleged scheme to provide steroids to a prison inmate.

Richard R. Finley, 55, of 402 James St., was released Tuesday from the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building on $10,000 cash bail, and awaits grand jury action on charges of fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and criminal possession of hypodermic instruments.

He is also cited with endangering the welfare of a child. Police said he was accompanied by his 7-year-old son.

“We were aware that the boy was in his vehicle, so we were not as aggressive in making the arrest as we would normally be to avoid upsetting the child,” an investigator said.

Mr. Finley was suspended without pay Tuesday from his $52,552-salary position, according the the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

The state police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team, assisted by the Metro-Jeff Drug Task Force, made the arrest in conjunction with an investigation conducted by the state inspector general’s office, and followed a transaction that occurred shortly before 5 p.m. in the mall parking lot. According to a document presented for his arraignment Monday night before Town of Watertown Justice James P. McClusky, Mr. Finley rendezvoused with a man identified as Ken, as pre-arranged by a Cape Vincent inmate named Melendez.

Following the inmate’s instructions, he handed Ken a chunk of venison and a steroid, for which he had previously been paid $500 by money order. He was then handed an envelope containing $1,200 in cash as advance payment for three more bottles of the steroid for a later delivery, according to the court document.

“Once the deal was complete, the police came and ordered me to the ground,” Mr. Finley said in the statement.

An investigator said Ken was not a police undercover agent, but declined to elaborate. Nothing was revealed about the inmate Melendez.

Mr. Finley’s statement indicates he was approached by Melendez “a couple months ago” about human growth hormones.

“One thing led to another and he said he could get me HGH and I would get him creatine, hydroxy, alcohol and steroids.”

Prior to Monday’s rendezvous, he said, he provided the substances to Melendez at the prison, but he did not receive the promised exchange of HGH or cash.

Melendez told him he had $2 million coming from a lawsuit against the state, so as the counselor and inmate discussed future transactions, “I told Melendez that $500 to $1,000 would solve all my financial problems.”

He closed his statement by saying, “I have never done this before. I don’t know why Melendez was so persistent with me conducting this deal.”

Pretty stupid mistake.

$1200 for 3 vials? c'mon!