Man Arrested for Possessing Cocaine in a Park After Dark in Cayuga County

A 33-year-old Owasco man has been charged with drug possession following an investigation into a suspicious vehicle at Emerson Park in early December, according to the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies reported they encountered Nicholas M. Passarello around 3:20 a.m. on December 3, 2024, while conducting a routine patrol. Deputies observed a parked vehicle at Emerson Park after dark and approached it to investigate. Upon speaking with Passarello, the vehicle’s sole occupant, deputies noticed a clear container fall from the driver’s door onto the ground. The container was found to contain a white powdery substance believed to be crack cocaine.

Deputies collected the substance for testing and subsequently made several attempts to contact Passarello, requesting that he turn himself in to be issued an appearance ticket. After receiving no response, authorities filed for an arrest warrant on December 9, 2024, through the Fleming Town Court.

On February 12, 2025, at approximately 2:30 p.m., New York State Police located Passarello in Homer, NY. He was taken into custody and turned over to the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office, where he was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor under New York State Penal Law.

Passarello was processed at the Cayuga County Jail and held until his arraignment at 7:00 p.m. the same day. He was released on his own recognizance and is scheduled to appear in Fleming Town Court on February 25, 2025, at 4:30 p.m.