Authorities Charge Three With Selling Meth In New York’s Southern Tier

Today, October 14, 2006, Broome County District Attorney Paul Battisti, Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar, Vestal Police Chief Vince Stavola, other local law enforcement, and representatives from the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the United States Attorney's Office joined together to announce charges of distribution of methamphetamine.

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According to the announcement, on October 2, 2026, 53-year-old Jermaine Cooper from Apalachin, 40-year-old Sherry Olk of Binghamton, and 36-year-old Shamell Tate from Endicott were arraigned on charges of distribution of methamphetamine.

 It is alleged that Cooper and Olk sold over 100 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine in July 2026.  A separate complaint against Tate alleges that, in September 2026, he sold over 200 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.

Getting dangerous drug dealers off our streets is what the law-abiding residents and families of our community expect and deserve from law enforcement. It takes coordination, cooperation and teamwork at every level to build a safer Broome County and to put the peddlers of poison where they belong, behind bars and unable to create new victims. - Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar

 The U.S. Attorney's Office noted that the charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life.  Cooper, Olk, and Tate were detained pending a trial before a United States District Court.

These three drug dealers have been exploiting drug addiction for their financial gain and infiltrating deadly narcotics into our community for far too long. New York’s bail reform laws would have allowed these defendants right back on the street after arraignment, and my office will continue to use federal laws to remove drug traffickers from the community and safeguard the Southern Tier. These arrests should serve as a chilly reminder that if you are poisoning our communities with narcotics, we will find you and bring the full extent of the federal government to your doorstep. - John Sarcone III, First Assistant United States Attorney 

  The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This coordinated effort demonstrates the effectiveness of multi-agency collaboration in tackling drug-related crimes. No longer are the days of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies working in silos. As has been demonstrated with Clean Sweep in April and again today with Cold Front, we are One Team, laser-focused on the safety and security of our community and will stop at nothing when public safety is at risk. - Broome County District Attorney Paul Battisti 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York State Police, Broome County Sheriff’s Office, and the Vestal Police Department continue to investigate the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristen Grabowski and Michael Whalen are prosecuting the case.

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