Site last updated: Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Log In

Reset Password
MENU
Butler County's great daily newspaper

Grandma pleads guilty

Drugs, $400,000 seized in raid

Candace Kelly, the gray-haired grandmother busted with 54 pounds of marijuana and nearly $400,000 in drug money in her Buffalo Township home, pleaded guilty Wednesday to the half-dozen charges she faced.

Deputy Attorney General Tomm Anthony Mutschler, who is prosecuting the case, said when Kelly is sentenced Nov. 20 he will seek prison time for the 65-year-old defendant.

Kelly’s defense attorney, Jeffrey Wasak of Pittsburgh, said he hopes to present circumstances about Kelly and her case that will reduce the sentence as much as possible.

But Butler County Judge William Shaffer, who will get the final say, already warned Kelly in the courtroom that “my sentencing discretion is pretty broad.”

Kelly’s sentence could be anything from house arrest to a virtual life sentence.

Kelly, who appeared in court in a black dress and yellow jacket, made no statements.

Court records say Kelly sold as much as 100 pounds of marijuana a year from her house on Kepple Road since 2009. She’s accused of receiving three shipments of 30 to 40 pounds of marijuana per year, which she allegedly sold for $3,400 per pound.

In addition to the marijuana and money, police allegedly seized from Kelly’s home nearly two pounds of psychedelic mushrooms and hashish and paraphernalia and records tracking her drug purchases and sales.

The bulk of the money found, $300,000, was in a duffel bag under Kelly’s bed. That money, investigators allege, was earmarked to pay a supplier.

Kelly pleaded guilty to intent to deliver marijuana, possession with intent to deliver psilocybin mushrooms, possession of marijuana, possession of psilocybin mushrooms, criminal conspiracy and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Mutschler refused to say how much prison time he’ll ask the judge to impose.

Wasak hopes to stress to the judge his client’s sincere remorse and “that a woman of her age is no threat to the community ... Any extended period of incarceration would be unwarranted and unproductive.”

At the same time the criminal proceedings are ongoing against Kelly, the state attorney general’s office has reached an agreement to keep $380,000 of the money that was seized. The remaining $12,500 is to be returned to Kelly’s attorney.

More in Local News

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter

* indicates required
TODAY'S PHOTOS