Crime & Safety

Old Bethpage Man Faces Menacing, Drug Charges

Arrest stems from incident at Battle Row Campground.

Nassau County Police have charged an Old Bethpage man with menacing in Saturday after receiving a report of a man with a gun at the Battle Row Campground.

Police say they were called to the trailer park by the victim, 46, who said he had been continuously threatened by Francis Searles, 57, of 145 Haypath Rd., Old Bethpage.

Searles was seen driving through the campground Saturday despite a manager's demand that he not return to the area when he was evicted several months ago.

A short time later, Second Precinct officers located Searles on Chicago Avenue in Massapequa, where they placed him under arrest at 1:20 p.m. That's when police discovered Searles in possession of cocaine, police said. 

A gun was not recovered, police said.

Searles is being charged with menacing, drug possession and trespassing charges. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Sunday in First District Court, Hempstead.


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