Alleged Heroin Dealer, User Arrested on Franklin Turnpike

An alleged heroin user and his dealer were arrested over the weekend after police say one of the men got high and started walking along Franklin Turnpike asking for a ride, police said.

According to Mahwah Police Chief Jim Batelli, police received a call at about 6:30 p.m. last Friday that a “disheveled male” was walking up an down Franklin Turnpike asking for a ride to Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, NY.

Kenneth Hoyt, 29, of New City, NY was arrested after police officers found him along the roadway with a, “small area of fresh blood on his arm,” hypodermic needle in his pocket, and 10 glassine bags of heroin in his possession, Batelli said.

Hoyt, “admitted to just shooting up with heroin shortly prior to the officers’ arrival,” and told police that he had just purchased the drugs from a friend of his who works in a business on the busy roadway, Batelli said.

Based on Hoyt’s description of the alleged dealer, police went to the business and arrested Ryan Papini, 29, of Monsey, NY, who Batelli said admitted his “involvement,” to detectives, had five packets of heroin in his possession, and five hypodermic needles in a garbage can near his work area.

Hoyt was charged with possession of heroin and possession of a hypodermic needle, police said. Papini was charged with distribution of heroin, possession of heroin and possession of a hypodermic needle, police said.

Papini was “terminated from his employment,” Batelli said. Police declined to release the name of the business, saying that the investigation around the incident is still ongoing.

According to cops, both were released on their on recognizance with a court date scheduled for June 4.

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