SHAMOKIN - An 18-year-old city man found in possession of 798 packets of heroin valued at approximately $16,000 was taken into custody Wednesday night and charged with multiple felony offenses.
The drug bust was one of the largest in the local area.
Nathan Morell, of 224-226 E. Dewart St., Apt. 5, was arrested following a search of his apartment and person that produced the heroin, two plastic bags of marijuana, a marijuana grinder, three cell phones and $769 in cash.
He is charged by Shamokin Cpl. Bryan Primerano and Ralpho Township Patrolman Chris Grow in conjunction with an investigation conducted by the Northumberland-Montour Drug Task Force.
Morell was arraigned by video at 1 a.m. Thursday by on-call Magisterial District Judge John Gembic III on two criminal complaints charging him with felonies of delivery of heroin, two counts of possession with intent to deliver heroin, criminal use of a communication facility, possession with intent to deliver marijuana and a misdemeanor of possession of drug paraphernalia.
He was committed to Northumberland County Prison in Sunbury in lieu of $200,000 cash bail and is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing Tuesday before Gembic.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, shortly after 5:30 p.m. officers spoke to a confidential informant, who advised police that a Hispanic male known as "Tiny" intended to distribute heroin.
At approximately 6 p.m., the informant and his vehicle were searched and determined not to possess any contraband. Police gave the informant $40 in police controlled buy money. Under police surveillance, the informant entered Morell's apartment building and was later followed back to the police station, where he turned over two white packets sold to him by Morell. The packets tested positive for the presence of heroin, police said.
At 9:27 p.m., officers executed a search warrant obtained through Gembic for Morell's apartment. Morell answered the door and was then handcuffed and taken into custody.
Inside the apartment, police found a small amount of marijuana on a coffee table, two plastic bags of marijuana in a kitchen cabinet and a marijuana grinder. Three cellular phones in a living room were also seized.
Police also discovered eight bricks (50 packets per brick) of heroin on a window sill and eight more bricks of heroin under a garbage bag in a trash can in the bathroom.