UTICA, NY — A 49-year-old man was arrested following a buy-bust operation on the 900 block of Saratoga Street on Feb. 19, 2026.
Leon Kearney, of Utica, was taken into custody by investigators with the Special Investigations Unit, assisted by patrol officers, according to the Utica Police Department.
The arrest was the result of an ongoing narcotics investigation prompted by public complaints regarding the sale and distribution of narcotics in the area.
Police said narcotics were agreed to be purchased from Kearney during the operation, and he was arrested immediately following the transaction.
A quantity of cocaine was found on Kearney during a search following his arrest, police said.
Kearney was transported to the Utica Police Department and charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree.
