Hoosick Falls woman arrested on drug charges – one day before sentencing on similar crime

A Hoosick Falls woman was arrested on Jan. 7 on drug charges – one day before she was expected to be sentenced to probation in a similar case.

Kandie L. Stowell, 40, was arrested after deputies found 80 grams of cocaine and fentanyl, additional narcotics and stimulants and $4,134 in cash at her home on Fifth Street, according to the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office. They also found drug paraphernalia, scales and packaging materials.

Stowell was charged with three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, four counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument and one count of criminal use of drug paraphernalia. She was arraigned in Grafton Town Court.

Rensselaer County Assistant District Attorney Spencer Lane requested that Stowell be sent to the Rensselaer County Jail, citing her pending felony sentencing. However, Judge Higgins released her on her own recognizance.

Sheriff Kyle Bourgault criticized the decision.

“It is frustrating as an elected official sworn to uphold public safety that we continue to arrest the same individuals for the same crimes repeatedly. I hope that in the future, when judges are given the discretion to remand certain repeat offenders for the sake of public safety, they exercise that discretion,” he said in a statement.

Anyone with relevant information is encouraged to contact the drug tip line at 518-270-0128 to assist in the investigation.