Troy man accused of drug crimes twice in 6 months

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The Troy Police Department Special Operations Section toured the Congress Street area of the city on Tuesday, as part of a long-term investigation focused on quality-of-life violations in the area. Several individuals were arrested as part of the enforcement effort, including Anthony S. Cockeral, 62, of Troy.

Police said Cockeral had narcotic drugs on him when he was arrested. Cockeral was nabbed for a similar crime in February when he was allegedly found to be in possession of nearly $100,000, crack cocaine, and a fake gun. In the February case, he was released pending a future court appearance.

After Tuesday's arrest, Cockeral was arraigned in Troy City Court and remanded to Rensselaer County Jail. "Our message is clear. The Troy Police Department is committed to pursuing solutions to the quality-of-life concerns within our community," said Assistant Chief of Police Steven Barker.

"We will seek to resolve issues using a balanced, professional and experienced perspective including all disciplines that are willing to participate. When necessary, we will utilize the existing criminal laws designed to target these offenses. We will continue to actively listen to the concerns of residents & business owners across all neighborhoods within our city and will commit as many of our resources as possible to the collective, community-based responses that are possible," continued Barker.

Troy Police said, if you have concerns about safety issues in your neighborhood, you should report them to (518) 270-4411. If a crime is in progress, call 911.