By Albert Amateau
A resident of the Village View co-op, on E. Sixth St. between First Ave. and Avenue A, was identified as one of three people charged with being the suppliers to the five Columbia University students who were arrested Tuesday for dealing cocaine, LSD, marijuana, ecstasy and other drugs out of fraternity houses and dormitories on the Columbia campus.
Miron Sarzynski, the Village View resident, and Megan Asper, identified as his girlfriend, were arrested in Sarzynski’s apartment on Oct. 27 more than a month before the Columbia students were apprehended as part of a five-month sting operation. Sarzynski is also accused of being involved in a kidnapping attempt for trying to hire one of the undercover sting officers to grab a rival drug dealer at gunpoint to satisfy a $4,000 debt. Sarzynski is said to have told the officer that he wanted to torture the rival by dosing him with LSD.
At a news conference on Tuesday announcing the Columbia students’ arrest, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said, “The fact that a supplier to the Columbia students was willing to kill his rivals should demolish any argument that drugs on campus is a victimless crime. This is no way to work your way through college.”
Another man accused of supplying drugs to the five Columbia students, Roberto Lagares, was arrested Sun., Dec. 5, at his home in Brooklyn.
The students, Adam Klein, a member of the Ivy League school’s fencing team; Stephan Vincenzo, a poet; Michael Wymbs, a member of the Columbia University Student Council; Harrison David, an engineering student who was salutatorian of his high school class; and Christopher Coles, all 20 years old, pleaded not guilty and were held pending bail ranging from $30,000 to $75,000.
Columbia student Jose Stephan Perez a.k.a. Stephan Vincenzo at his arraignment on Tuesday. He was sporting a bandage on his face after having scuffled with arresting narcotics officers, according to court papers.
