SHENANDOAH - A preliminary hearing for a Barnesville man arrested by Mahanoy City police for having more than 60 bags of heroin in his possession was continued Thursday.
Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker, Shenandoah, set a hearing date for Kyle J. Merenda, 19, of 57 Shady Lane, for July 3 so the drug charges could be heard, along with subsequent charges filed against him for threatening a witness in the case.
Patrolman Thomas Rentschler charged Merenda and three other people in connection with a May 19 incident.
Merenda will appear on charges of felony possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He will also appear on felony charges of intimidation of witnesses or victims and retaliation against a witness or victim and a misdemeanor offense of terroristic threats after posting threats on Facebook on June 7.
In the May incident, Rentschler also charged George A. Kraynak Jr., 22, of 209 Beaver Brook Road, Hazleton, and Richele Robinson, 28, of 538 N. Locust St., Hazleton, with the same drug crimes.
Mollie McGuire, 21, of 122 W. Birch St., Mahanoy City, was charged with felony unlawful delivery or manufacture of a controlled substance and misdemeanor charges of theft and receiving stolen property.
Rentschler said police set up a drug buy using a confidential informant who gave money to McGuire to purchase heroin. McGuire, he said, took the money and promised the drugs but never gave the drugs to the informant or returned the cash but was subsequently arrested.
While in custody, Rentschler said McGuire told him she would be able to purchase heroin from Merenda and that he would deliver it to her house.
McGuire then made several calls and sent text messages to Merenda who agreed to deliver 50 bags of heroin for $230.
About 25 minutes later, the officers said a vehicle approached the pre-arranged meeting area, and McGuire walked to it.
At that time, officers approached the vehicle, found Merenda in the back seat and in plain view on the floor next to him, offciers saw what turned out to be 63 bags of heroin.
After being read her rights, Robinson, the driver, said she was contacted by Merenda who asked her for a ride to Mahanoy City to sell heroin and that she had given the man rides in the past to sell drugs.
Also inside the vehicle was Kraynak, who said he was along for the ride to sell the heroin and also had four bags of the drug in his possession.
After being released from prison on bail for the drug charges, Rentschler said Merenda contacted the informant via Facebook saying he and people he knows would injure the informant if he or she would cooperate with authorities.
After being arrested on in the intimidation charges, Merenda was re-committed to the county prison pending further court action.