Police: Illegal sex video, $87K in cash seized in drug case

The video appears to show suspect 36-year-old Gene R. Warner wearing women’s clothes and having sexual contact with a dog, police said. In a press release issued Wednesday, State Police referenced the discovery of “indecent sexual material” found on “electronic devices” but did not elaborate.

Authorities said Thursday that a misdemeanor sexual misconduct charge will be filed along with the felony weapons and drug charges that Warner and his housemate, James F. Barber, were hit with Wednesday.

The cash, found in bundles of bills, was seized by police and counted Thursday. The cash in the vehicle and home totaled $87,312, police said.

The charges stemmed from a traffic stop of a 2013 BMW sedan that Warner was driving on Luzerne Road in Queensbury at about 2:40 a.m. Wednesday.

Troopers stopped the car after they saw it pull into the West Glens Falls fire station parking lot and watched a woman get out of it and run off. The car did not have a front license plate and had illegally tinted windows, police said.

Police said they found Warner to have a loaded, unregistered handgun, bags of cash, nearly 1 1/2 pounds of marijuana and a small amount of methamphetamine. He also was believed to be driving under the influence of drugs.

The seizure led to a search of a room that he rented at the Days Inn motel off Exit 18 of the Northway, where an additional 6 1/2 pounds of pot and an illegal stun gun were discovered.

A search of the Fifth Street home where Warner had been living led to the discovery of a 7.62 mm rifle, the cash, more than a pound of additional marijuana and at least one bestiality video.

Warner faces three felony charges of criminal possession of a weapon or firearm, a felony marijuana possession charge, a misdemeanor driving while ability impaired by drugs charge and numerous other misdemeanor and traffic charges.

Barber, 42, faces one felony count each of criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of marijuana.

Both men have prior felony convictions that preclude them from possessing guns. They were sent to Warren County Jail after arraignment.

Police have seized the cash, and Warren County District Attorney Kate Hogan said authorities will look into whether the BMW can be forfeited as well.

The dog was with a relative of Warner’s and authorities were trying to find it Thursday for a physical examination, police said.

“We’re aware of it and are trying to locate the dog,” Warren County SPCA President Jim Fitzgerald said.

Police didn’t file charges for the dog videos, in part because they had to research what section of law they fall under. But under state law, having sex with an animal is only a misdemeanor. If the dog was injured, it could result in felony animal cruelty charges, Fitzgerald said.

Glens Falls Police Detective Lt. Peter Casertino, whose agency assisted State Police with the case, said the men had only lived in the home for a short period of time. Police were familiar with both of them, as both have extensive criminal records, but Casertino said there were no complaints of any problems in the months they have lived at the home.

Property records show the home is owned by Lucy Alamia of Cossayuna.