Amsterdam woman faces tampering with evidence and drug charges

AMSTERDAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Amsterdam Police Department arrested a 36-year-old woman and a wanted person on November 21. Awilda Cortes was charged with tampering with physical evidence, criminally using drug paraphernalia in the second degree, and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree.

According to the police, a patrol officer observed the wanted person in a vehicle on Division Street. Officers conducted a field interview and took the wanted person into custody.

Cortes, a passenger in the vehicle, allegedly tried to discard an object used to consume narcotics. Upon a search of the vehicle, police reportedly located crack cocaine. Cortes was processed at Amsterdam Police headquarters and issued a ticket to Amsterdam City Court at a later date.