Jamaican eatery owner wants to open it again

CANTON — The owner of a Jamaican restaurant denied selling cocaine and wants to reopen his business soon.

Ainsley N. "Matthew" Edwards, 25, of 55 Sweeney Road, Potsdam, stared briefly and then shook his head no when asked Thursday following a preliminary hearing in Canton Village Court whether he sold cocaine out of his restaurant.

The 25-year-old then grinned when asked if there was any chance Leonie's Jamaican Cuisine on Miner Street would reopen.

"Hopefully," Mr. Edwards said outside the courtroom. "Yes. I want to open it again."

Canton Village Justice Michael C. Crowe found sufficient evidence exists to send the case to a county grand jury after the two-hour preliminary hearing.

Members of the St. Lawrence County Drug Task Force testified a female confidential informant went to the restaurant with $5,100 cash, where Mr. Edwards sold her 3 ounces of cocaine.

When authorities later arrested him at the restaurant, he reportedly didn't cooperate in giving up his drug supplier. Mr. Edwards didn't testify at the hearing.

Mr. Edwards was charged Saturday with felony first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. He was sent back to county jail on $15,000 bail or $30,000 bond.

His codefendant, Rafael Santos, 25, of 214 Randall Road, Lisbon, has been ordered held pending grand jury action Thursday after a preliminary hearing in Waddington Town Court before Judge Thomas J. Snider. He was charged with felony first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Mr. Santos was convicted in 2001 in Bronx County on felony second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was sentenced to three years to life in state prison, according to state Department of Correctional Services records. He was paroled in 2004 and discharged from parole in 2007.

A warrant search by St. Lawrence County Drug Task Force members allegedly found 12 ounces of cocaine at Mr. Santos's home. The drug task force in all seized 17 ounces of cocaine, with a street value of about $45,000, and about $5,000 in cash during its investigation.