MALTA, NY — State Police assigned to the Troop G Community Stabilization Unit arrested a New York man on drug and child endangerment charges following a traffic stop on Interstate 87.
Jonathan P. Rivera, 37, of Flushing, was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree, a class A felony, and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a class B felony.
He also faces two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, a class A misdemeanor, and vehicle and traffic law violations.
Troopers stopped Rivera’s vehicle on I-87 at about 11:15 p.m. March 14, 2026, for a vehicle and traffic law violation.
Two children under the age of 16 and an adult passenger were in the vehicle at the time.
With the assistance of K9 Mike and his handler, troopers located and seized more than half a pound of a packaged substance that field-tested positive for cocaine.
The felony weight narcotics were located within reach of the two children who were seated in the back of the vehicle.
The children and adult passenger were released without charges from the scene.
Rivera was arrested at the scene and transported to State Police barracks in Saratoga for processing.
He was arraigned at Malta Town Court and remanded to the Saratoga County Correctional Facility without bail.
