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A man who ran a Fountain Hill business mailed marijuana from multiple locations around the Lehigh Valley before a raid on his West Bethlehem home, a detective testified.
Juan Carlos Pedraza's girlfriend told police Pedraza had wanted to go to California to try and grow marijuana legally, Bethlehem Detective Eric Schaedel testified on Wednesday.
But eventually Janice Moyer learned that the packages being picked up at their home had marijuana in them and "it got out of hand," Schaedel said. The detective said Pedraza mailed the drug packages at "multiple locations" in Lehigh and Northampton counties, but did not elaborate where.
After Pedraza's preliminary hearing Wednesday, District Judge David Howells Jr. sent two counts each of possession with the intent to deliver marijuana and possession of marijuana, as well as possession of drug paraphernalia, to Lehigh County Court.
Before the hearing began, defense attorney Eric Dowdle discussed a plea deal that was offered by Deputy District Attorney Bethany Zampogna.
Under the deal, if Pedraza waived his hearing, he could plead guilty to possession with intent to deliver marijuana and a firearm violation in exchange for a fixed minimum sentence of five years in prison, according to Dowdle.
But Pedraza wanted a hearing, and Dowdle said the offer was rescinded and the case will now likely be transferred to federal authorities.
Zampogna clarified federal agents approached county prosecutors in the case, and that at the federal level Pedraza could also face an aggravated identity theft charge for the numerous identification cards and social security cards found in Pedraza's home.
After learning of the multiple identities allegedly used by Pedraza, Howells revoked his bail in the drug case.
Police said after intercepting a marijuana package, the Bethlehem Special Operations Bureau and Vice Unit began surveillance of Pedraza's home in the 500 block of Sixth Avenue.
Officers followed Pedraza as he mailed a package they later intercepted, and discovered $15,000 inside. On Feb. 25 police delivered the intercepted marijuana package to Pedraza's house, and then raided the home after Pedraza picked up the package and took it inside.
Court records say Pedraza was found inside his home, already cutting into the package with a kitchen knife.
Police searched the home and found heat-sealed packages of suspected marijuana, between 10 and 20 postal boxes similar to the one delivered by police, and packages of marijuana.
Police said Pedraza ran 360 Renovate Inc., 611 Lechauweki Ave. in Fountain Hill.
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/lehigh-county/index.ssf/2015/04/fountain_hill_business_owner_m.html
Juan Carlos Pedraza's girlfriend told police Pedraza had wanted to go to California to try and grow marijuana legally, Bethlehem Detective Eric Schaedel testified on Wednesday.
But eventually Janice Moyer learned that the packages being picked up at their home had marijuana in them and "it got out of hand," Schaedel said. The detective said Pedraza mailed the drug packages at "multiple locations" in Lehigh and Northampton counties, but did not elaborate where.
After Pedraza's preliminary hearing Wednesday, District Judge David Howells Jr. sent two counts each of possession with the intent to deliver marijuana and possession of marijuana, as well as possession of drug paraphernalia, to Lehigh County Court.
Before the hearing began, defense attorney Eric Dowdle discussed a plea deal that was offered by Deputy District Attorney Bethany Zampogna.
Under the deal, if Pedraza waived his hearing, he could plead guilty to possession with intent to deliver marijuana and a firearm violation in exchange for a fixed minimum sentence of five years in prison, according to Dowdle.
But Pedraza wanted a hearing, and Dowdle said the offer was rescinded and the case will now likely be transferred to federal authorities.
Zampogna clarified federal agents approached county prosecutors in the case, and that at the federal level Pedraza could also face an aggravated identity theft charge for the numerous identification cards and social security cards found in Pedraza's home.
After learning of the multiple identities allegedly used by Pedraza, Howells revoked his bail in the drug case.
Police said after intercepting a marijuana package, the Bethlehem Special Operations Bureau and Vice Unit began surveillance of Pedraza's home in the 500 block of Sixth Avenue.
Officers followed Pedraza as he mailed a package they later intercepted, and discovered $15,000 inside. On Feb. 25 police delivered the intercepted marijuana package to Pedraza's house, and then raided the home after Pedraza picked up the package and took it inside.
Court records say Pedraza was found inside his home, already cutting into the package with a kitchen knife.
Police searched the home and found heat-sealed packages of suspected marijuana, between 10 and 20 postal boxes similar to the one delivered by police, and packages of marijuana.
Police said Pedraza ran 360 Renovate Inc., 611 Lechauweki Ave. in Fountain Hill.
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/lehigh-county/index.ssf/2015/04/fountain_hill_business_owner_m.html
