ALTAMONT — A botched robbery conspiracy resulted in the victim — allegedly a drug dealer — being dragged at least 30 feet down the street, according to Altamont Police Officer Christopher Laurenzo.

The two suspects and victim are all males and 16 or 17 years old; their identities are currently being protected by the police department, in case the court should decide later to grant them youthful offender status and seal their records.

Here is how Lorenzo said events unfolded: On June 21 at about 9:15 p.m. on Western Avenue in the village, a driver and passenger arrived in Altamont to meet a drug dealer from whom they had arranged to buy 5 grams of marijuana, despite knowing from the start that they did not have enough cash to pay for it. They intended, Laurenzo said, “to rob him from the start.”

One of the suspects is from Albany, and the other from Colonie, Laurenzo said.

As the deal was underway, Laurenzo said, the dealer realized that the two did not have enough money, and “pulled back the drugs a little bit.” The two would-be buyers started reassuring the dealer and pulling out more money, he said.

The dealer then began to walk back toward the car, and that was when the passenger in the car grabbed him through the window by the Guilderland jersey he was wearing, and pulled him up to the car, while the driver sped off.

Laurenzo said that Altamont Police believe the dealer was dragged 30 or 40 feet along the pavement. The victim’s shirt came off of him as he was being dragged, Laurenzo said, and the two suspects kept it.

The victim did not report the crime. His injuries were so serious that he underwent surgery and spent three days in the hospital. Hospital officials, suspecting abuse because of the victim’s age, called the Altamont Police.

Initially, the only detail that the victim was able to give police was the first name of the passenger.

The Altamont Police conducted a lengthy investigation, Laurenzo said, and eventually began to receive tips from the community. The police learned, among other things, that the driver and passenger had posted a picture of the victim’s jersey online to Snapchat; they had also brought the shirt to a house party in Albany where they showed it off and bragged about the incident, Laurenzo said. 

The victim has been cooperating with police, Laurenzo said, and Altamont Police never saw any marijuana, so there are no plans at this time to bring any charges against him.

The driver was charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, a felony, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent, a misdemeanor.

The passenger, who Laurenzo said came up with the entire plan and convinced the driver to take part, was charged with many more crimes. Four of the charges against the passenger are felonies:  second-degree robbery, causing physical injury to another person; second-degree robbery aided by another; fourth-degree conspiracy; and second-degree assault with intent to cause serious physical injury. Two are misdemeanors — unauthorized use of a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent and petit larceny.

Laurenzo said that the suspects knew someone who routinely kept the keys in the ignition of their car and that they took that car without the owner’s knowledge.

One of the suspects turned himself in, and Altamont Police were able to pick up the other on a warrant for these charges.

The two were arraigned in Altamont Village Court before Judge James R. Greene on July 22. The driver was released on a $10,000 cash bond, and the passenger, whose bail was set at $50,000, was sent to Albany County’s jail.

The bail recommendations, Laurenzo said, were determined by the Albany County District Attorney’s office.