Out of Towners Arrested for Heroin in Avon

AVON – Two Allegany county residents were arrested for drug charges after a routine traffic stop late Thursday night.

At about 11:30p.m., Sheriff Deputy Shawn Whitford pulled over Wendy Ludolph, 35, of Canaseraga, NY and Thomas Ellerstein, 35, of Angelica, NY on I-390 in the Town of Avon.

“The driver admitted that she didn’t have a license, and the passenger said he didn’t have one either,” said Chief Deputy Matthew Burgess. “There was drug paraphernalia in plain view, so Deputy Whitford investigated.”

Ludolph, the driver, was operating the vehicle without a license. Her license had been suspended seven times on six different dates.

When questioned, Ludolph allegedly admitted to using heroin throughout that very evening. On closer inspection, Ellerstein was found to posess ten small bags of heroin as well a hypodermic needle. Ellerstein was immediately arrested for possession of a controlled substance, and Ludolph was arrested for Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs.

Ludolph did submit to a drug test, conducted by Sergeant Joseph Breu of the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office. Ludolph was charged with DWAI Drugs, three counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th Degree, Criminal Possession of a Hypodermic Needle, and several Vehicle and Traffic Law charges, including Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the First Degree, a class E Felony.

Ellerstien was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance and Criminal Possession of a Hypodermic Needle. Ellerstein was given a court date and released. Ludolph was turned over to the Livingston County Jail on $2500 cash bail or $5000 bond.

Photo: Thomas Ellerstein at left, Wendy Ludolph at right. Photo courtesy of LCSO