NORWICH – Two men sit at the county jail in lieu of $20,000 bail following the recovery high grade marijuana by the Norwich Police Department.

A traffic stop was conducted Sunday, March 8, 2015 by members of the NPD for a traffic violation on Rexford St. in the city of Norwich. Throughout the traffic stop and the ensuing investigation, police said officers recovered more than one and a half pounds of “high grade marijuana” and several thousand dollars in cash.

• Devan M. Cooke, 20, of Ft. Covington, NY was charged with criminal possession of marijuana in the second degree, a class D felony; obstruction of governmental administration in the second degree, a class A misdemeanor; criminal impersonation in the second degree, a class A misdemeanor; aggravated unlicensed operation in the second degree; and unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation.

• Kenneth P. Ellsworth, 24, of Ft. Covington, NY was charged with criminal possession of marijuana in the second degree, a class D felony; and obstruction of governmental administration in the second degree, a class A misdemeanor.

It is alleged that both Cooke and Ellsworth knowingly and unlawfully possessed marijuana with an aggregate weight of more than 16 ounces. The charges of obstruction of governmental administration allege they both intentionally prevented and obstructed the officers from performing their official duties.

Further, it is alleged that the men both rolled up the windows of the vehicle and locked the doors.

The criminal impersonation charge alleges that Cooke gave officers a false name and date of birth during the investigation. The AUO charge additionally alleges that Cooke was operating a motor vehicle with a suspended or revoked license.

Both men were arraigned in Norwich City Court following their arrest and processing and were remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility in lieu of $20,000 bail. They are both to reappear in court at a later date.

NPD’s K9 Nitro assisted with the investigation.