Drug and weapons charges against a Buffalo, N.Y., man were bound over to McKean County Court at a hearing Thursday before District Judge Bill Todd.
Michael Anello, 41, of 131 Roland St., remains jailed on half-a-million dollars’ bail on charges of possession of firearms prohibited, a first-degree felony; firearms not to be carried without a license, a third-degree felony; possession with intent to deliver, a felony; DUI, possessing an instrument of crime, and possessing drug paraphernalia, misdemeanors; and six traffic summary offenses.
According to the criminal complaint, at 3:22 a.m. Oct. 20, on Main Street of Eldred Borough at the intersection of Clif Nel drive, a state trooper was following a vehicle driven by Anello that was weaving, crossing the center line and doing other things that suggested the driver was intoxicated. The trooper pulled the vehicle over, and while approaching, saw a “female laying across the back seat, half dressed,” the complaint stated.
Anello didn’t have on a shirt, shoes or socks, his pants were disheveled and “he had marijuana ‘shake’ all over his pants,” the complaint stated. There was marijuana all over the center console, and the trooper smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. When the trooper reached the driver’s door, Anello stared straight into the officer’s flashlight, “smiled big and rolled his window down,” according to the complaint.
Anello got out of the vehicle to speak to the trooper, and the trooper patted him down and found a marijuana vape pen. Anello told the trooper he and his girlfriend had been at Busty Heart’s, and “had fun” in the parking lot, and they were returning to the Olean (N.Y.) Hotel. The trooper asked how much marijuana Anello had smoked; he replied ¾ of a pound, the complaint read.
Anello said the marijuana in the vehicle was his, as he owned a dispensary. When asked, he said he thought he had 47 pounds of marijuana in the vehicle; police found 66 pounds of it along with $22,429, one pound of hash and a stolen firearm. Anello isn’t permitted to have firearms because of his criminal history. Police said he refused a blood test after the traffic stop, the complaint stated.
Anello remains incarcerated in McKean County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail.
Anello is represented by Erie attorney Justin Smith.
