CLEARFIELD- Four defendants facing felony drug charges as a result of a raid in Clearfield Borough were scheduled for sentencing this week.
Peter Murphy, 31, Woodland, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance/contraband by inmate, criminal conspiracy/criminal use of communication facility, criminal use of communication facility, criminal conspiracy/possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance (Subutex), criminal conspiracy/possession of a controlled substance, criminal conspiracy/possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of drug paraphernalia. Judge Paul E. Cherry sentenced him to one to three years in state prison on Tuesday.
Joshua Robert Neptune, 26, Clearfield, was also scheduled to be sentenced on Tuesday but he failed to appear in court. A bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
Dylan Thomas Kline, 24, Clearfield, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to deliver (methamphetamine) and possession of drug paraphernalia on Wednesday. He was sentenced to six months to three years in state prison.
A plea deal in the case against Mikhail Bloom Greenland, 29, Clearfield, with a probation sentence for charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal conspiracy was rejected Wednesday.
Cherry asked for him to serve a minimum 90-day sentence. Greenland did not agree with that and withdrew his plea. His case will be added to the trial list.
Melanie Joy Hartman, currently an inmate of state prison, is scheduled to be sentenced March 9.
Stephanie Swanson, 28, Clearfield, is scheduled to be sentenced March 21.
Ethan William McLachlan, 25, Curwensville, failed to appear for his preliminary hearing in November, and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest, according to online court documents. A hearing was held in his absence with all charges sent on to the Court of Common Pleas.
These charges stem from a drug bust at 128 Clearfield St., in Clearfield in January of 2016.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, an officer was investigating the distribution of methamphetamine and Subutex out of a Clearfield Borough home. A search warrant was executed at the residence on Jan. 15, 2016 and controlled substances were seized.
When officers arrived, they made contact with Kline at the door. Officers asked for Murphy, who had an active warrant from Clearfield Borough police. Kline wouldn’t open the door and said Murphy was next door before running upstairs. Swanson then came downstairs and opened the door. She said Murphy was upstairs and officers were able to locate him.
It was determined Kline and Swanson both had warrants for their arrests. Kline was known to be dating Hartman, who was staying at this residence and also had warrants for her arrest. She was located in the attic, hiding in a corner under boxes and blankets.
During the search, officers allegedly found multiple items of drug paraphernalia, log books and meth. McLachlan had $848 when he was taken into custody, police said.
In his interview with police, Greenland said Murphy, Neptune, Hartman and Kline all stayed at the residence and paid rent. Kline had only been there for two weeks. Greenland said the night before the arrests that McLachlan did have meth.
Greenland admitted he had a prescription for Subutex, but he said he did not sell it. He also stated that Hartman goes to multiple doctors and has offered pills as payment for the rent, but Greenland said he did not accept them.
McLachlan told police that Hartman and Kline had meth on Jan. 14, 2016. He remembered two people coming to the residence to purchase Subutex.
The search of Hartman and Kline’s room uncovered a log book and $375, according to the criminal complaint. This book contained information on how many pills Hartman and Kline had to sell. The money was the proceeds from the sales, police said.
Kline, in his interview, told police it was McLachlan, who brought one gram of meth to the residence on Jan. 14. It was given to Hartman, Neptune, Murphy and Swanson, he said. Kline admitted that he himself had sold Subutex.
Hartman told officers she did not deal with McLachlan and she had only asked him for meth for her personal use. She said McLachlan showed up on Jan. 14, 2016 with about half to one gram of meth. When that was gone, he left and returned with two grams more. She admitted she, Kline and Murphy did all the meth.
Swanson came to her room to get some meth for her and Greenland. Hartman said she does not sell her Subutex but gives it to Kline to sell. She stated that Greenland also sells his Subutex.
Murphy told police that McLachlan brought meth to the residence on Jan. 14, 2016. He thought there was about two grams worth of the substance. He said it was for Hartman and Kline.
He also told police McLachlan bought an 8-ball (3.5 grams) in State College and sold some of it prior to getting back to Clearfield. The meth was distributed to Hartman, Kline, Murphy, Swanson and Greenland, according to Murphy.
He said Kline was the main seller of Subutex. When Murphy was searched at the jail, officers found he had concealed pills inside his rectum. He said he did it to keep from detoxing during his incarceration.
In her interview with police, Swanson admitted she was aware of the drug activity of the others. At first she denied knowing anything about the meth that was found under her side of a bed. In a later interview, she admitted it was hers and it was given to her by Hartman.
Swanson stated she was not a user and had only done meth once before. The amount the officers found, she said, was what was left of what Hartman gave her.
Neptune was questioned regarding what was found in his bedroom. He told police there was only a knife, and brass knuckles in the room. He said when he arrived home on Jan. 14, 2016, Hartman, McLachlan and Kline were in Hartman’s room cooking up some meth on a book. He estimated it to be one to two grams of the substance.
A review of the group’s various cell phones, revealed several drug-related messages.
McLachlan’s phone had many messages from him to other people setting up purchases of meth. He also mentioned needing to get rid of some “poop,” which is a slang term for synthetic marijuana.
Hartman’s phone had messages to people asking for money to pay for her doctor’s appointment and arranging drug sales. In some of the conversations, it is stated Kline was the one sending the messages to arrange the transactions.
McLachlan sent a picture to Hartman on Jan. 13, 2016 of suspected meth. Hartman then asked him to save her half a gram.
Murphy’s cell phone had text messages regarding the sale of Subutex, which is identified as being Hartman’s pills. There were messages from Greenland to Hartman talking about the selling of Subutex and “throwing in money” for their doctor’s appointments.