Drug cases result in jail time
A Butler woman was sentenced Thursday to county jail on three drug-related cases, including drug distribution near the city police department.
Jennifer E. Thomas, 27, was sentenced to 11½ to 23 months in Butler County Prison followed by two years probation, by President Judge Thomas Doerr.
She was also ordered to pay court costs and $1,400 in fines and complete 50 hours of community service, attend the Alcohol Highway Safety School, complete a drug and alcohol assessment, attend a Victim Impact Panel and complete the county litter pickup program.
Thomas pleaded guilty on Dec. 6 to felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, conspiracy, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and driving under the influence of a controlled substance before Judge Timothy McCune.
She was initially charged with three felony counts of possession with intent, one count of conspiracy, two misdemeanor counts of drug possession, and one count each of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana after an incident on April 18; misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia on April 29; and three misdemeanor counts of DUI controlled substance, as well as several summary traffic violations on May 2.
The remaining charges were dismissed as part of the plea.
The drug distribution charges stem from an investigation into a home in the 200 block of North Washington Street, near the city police station, between April 18 and May 4.
Thomas was charged alongside two others — Mary P. Boring, 28, and Thomas L. Tillman, 29, of Philadelphia — following an investigation of drug activity at the apartment.
Police said it was believed that Tillman and Thomas were dealing drugs out of one of three apartments at the two-story house. Boring, whose boyfriend is the sole tenant, is accused of allowing them to deal there.
Following a pair of controlled drug buys in April and May by the Butler County Drug Task Force, a warrant search was conducted. Police found between 230 and 240 bags of suspected heroin, 22 individually packaged rocks of crack, a small amount of marijuana, drug paraphernalia including a scale and 70 to 80 syringes, $187 in currency and two cell phones, according to court documents.
Boring was sentenced to 12 to 36 months in Butler County Prison after pleading guilty to two felony counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance — heroin and cocaine — and one count of conspiracy on Sept. 6; and Tillman continues to be held on $150,000 bail pending sentencing after pleading guilty to two felony possession with intent charges, one count of conspiracy, two misdemeanor counts of drug possession and one count each of possession of paraphernalia and possession of marijuana.
The April 29 charges stem from an incident in the 400 block of South Washington Street, where Butler police responded to a possible overdose. Thomas and a man were found unconscious in a car parked on the street, with Thomas in the driver's seat, police said.
On the floor of the vehicle, police said, a purse with several syringes were seen.
Police awakened both occupants and searched the purse, which was found to contain 10 syringes, two empty stamp bags of suspected heroin, a metal spoon and a crack pipe, according to court documents.
The May 2 charges stem from a traffic stop when police found 10 syringes, a metal spoon and a crack pipe.
Thomas said this is the first time she has been incarcerated, and the charges stemmed “from a really bad week.”
She said she has participated in every drug program available at the prison and wants “to get my life in order.”
