A coordinated operation by New York State Police in Central New York has led to the arrest of two Cortland County men and the seizure of numerous firearms and illegal drugs.
On January 14, 26-year-old Clayton Carley and 60-year-old Jeffrey Carley, both of Homer, were taken into custody and charged with multiple offenses, including criminal possession of weapons and controlled substances. Charges range from Class C felonies for loaded firearms to misdemeanors for controlled substances.
The investigation began in August 2024 when Troop D responded to a burglary report in Oswego County involving a stolen dirt bike. Investigators later traced the dirt bike to an online sale listing in Homer by Clayton Carley. Attempts to recover the bike during an initial interview were unsuccessful, as Carley provided false and evasive information about the sale.
A search warrant executed at the Carleys’ residence on January 14, with assistance from Troop C units, resulted in the seizure of:
- Three handguns, five assault weapons, and a loaded short-barreled shotgun
- Multiple high-capacity ammunition devices
- More than 12 mature marijuana plants, over 50 immature plants, 18 pounds of cannabis flower, and six pounds of cannabis concentrate
- Approximately 5 ounces of psilocybin mushrooms
- Two daggers, a baton, brass knuckles, and over 40 rifles and shotguns
- A stolen 2024 motorcycle and more than $5,000 in cash
Both men were processed at SP Homer and transported to the Cortland County Jail for arraignment.
Further investigation confirmed that Clayton Carley had sold the stolen dirt bike to a buyer in the Buffalo area, who later cooperated with authorities to return the motorcycle to the New York State Police.
