Hoa Nguyen

htnguyen@lohud.com

ORANGETOWN – One man facing felony charges in an assault on a police officer and another charged with felony drug possession were nabbed after a traffic stop Friday, officials said.

Nelson Sierra, 36, of West Haverstraw was driving a 2003 Honda Accord with a passenger, Santos Alvarado, 37, of West Palm Beach, Fla., on Route 9W in Nyack when police stopped the vehicle on traffic violations, officials said.

Sierra was found with a marijuana cigarette, an open knife and a plastic bag holding 30 small envelopes of heroin that totaled 9 grams, police said. He was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a felony, and unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation. Sierra was arraigned and held on $20,000 bail.

Alvarado, who was found with a clear plastic bag of marijuana, gave officers a false name and date of birth, police said. It was only at Orangetown police headquarters that officials discovered Alvarado had two outstanding warrants, one from Haverstraw village in the police officer assault and a second from Ramapo for traffic offenses.

Alvarado was charged by Orangetown with second-degree criminal impersonation, a misdemeanor, and unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation, and then turned over to the Rockland County Sheriff's Office for the Haverstraw warrant, officials said.