Lee Higgins

lhiggins2@lohud.com;

BEDFORD –

Two Connecticut men are accused of attempting to swap a loaded handgun for $500 in heroin Wednesday, Westchester County police said in a news release.

Undercover officers in the county police Patrol Task Force arranged to trade 50 envelopes of heroin for a .32-caliber handgun at about 9:45 a.m. Wednesday at a parking area on Route 172 near Interstate 684.

The men, 26-year-old John McCarthy of Sherman and 19-year-old Timothy McLean of Ridgefield, were arrested after police said they brought a loaded .32-caliber Beretta handgun and two envelopes of heroin with them.

They were charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a felony, and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor. McCarthy also was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation, and McLean with possession of a hypodermic instrument, a misdemeanor.

Both were arraigned Wednesday night in Bedford Town Court, where bail was set at $25,000 for McLean and $10,000 for McCarthy.