Two Arrested in West Ward Narcotics Raid

The Easton Police Department has announced they have arrested two suspects after executing a narcotics search warrant earlier this evening.

Just before 7 p.m., EPD vice/narcotics officers, the special response units and members of the Northampton County Drug Task Force raided 1227 Spruce St., and arrested Derrick Parks Jr., 18, of Easton, and Teaun Range, 20, of Plainfield, NJ.

Parks was the target of a vice squad investigation in response to numerous neighbor complaints, police said. He will be charged with delivery of a controlled substance, the report added, though the specific substance was not mentioned.

Range is charged with possession of cocaine, heroin and a small amount of marijuana. He is to be cited via summons, police report.

"The suspected drug dealers were taking the property over from an elderly tenant and conducting their illegal activity," said Lt. Matthew Gerrould via a press release. "One of the suspected drug dealers is a suspect in a robbery earlier this year. This was a robbery of a civilian several months ago which occurred in the 100 block of Northampton Street. We are not releasing any other information  relating to the robbery at this time in order to not compromise the investigation."

Police said no one was injured during the operation, and the investigation into the robbery as well as other suspected drug dealers possibly operating from the property is ongoing.

The building at 1227 Spruce St. is listed in Northampton County property records as being a single-family house, owned by Shane and Jessice Newell, of the same address.