Drug problem getting worse in Greene County - NEWS10 ABC: Albany, New York News, Weather, Sports

Drug problem getting worse in Greene County

CATSKILL, NY -- After a "pill party" results in two deaths in Greene county the sheriff's office says the drug problem is getting worse. Everything from heroine to prescription pills are being abused according to investigators. 

Different pills from different prescriptions were combined inside one of the rooms at the Catskill Starlight Motel on Route 9. They call it a pill party, but by the end of the party two people were found dead. A man in his twenties and woman in her thirties. Two others were sent to the hospital. Adam Brainard, a senior investigator with the Greene county sheriff's office said, "Prescription pills are something that's becoming popular for younger people to get involved in."

It's a trend Danielle Perez knows all about. "I used to have a drug problem," she said.

She says it started with prescriptions, "Hydrocodone, percocet," Perez listed.

Before she knew it she was addicted to heroine. When we asked does this area have a drug problem? Perez answered, "Yes it does."

Perez, who got addicted early on at age 15, doesn't ever want her two year old son Lucas to go through what she did. "I feel like it's everywhere in Greene county, what school would be right?" she said.

"We're seeing more instances of heroine use," said Investigator Brainard.

He says that it's also leading to other crimes in the county. "In order to get money for the drugs, they are committing burglaries, larcenies things like that," he explained.

In order to put a stop to the pill poppers the Sheriff's office enlisted the help of the District Attorney's office to work on drug investigations. "The DA has added on an investigator," said Brainard.

However, man power and resources are still an issue with tight budgets and a handful of investigators doing more work. "In a drug situation it's all hours of the night," Brainard said.

Danielle, who's been sober for a 11 months now, wants them to take a different approach for Lucas' sake. "Something like going to the high schools and taking preventative measures.

The pill party is still under investigation. No charges have been filed yet.