County drug task force nabs six in Charleroi drug sweep
CHARLEROI – The Washington County district attorney’s drug task force arrested six people Thursday and Friday in a Charleroi drug sweep tied to a heroin bust in the borough last month.
Arrested in connection with an Aug. 26 raid on 1005 Crest Ave. that produced two bags of marijuana and five Suboxone doses were Cathleen Patterson, 57, owner of the house, and Diedra L. Mariani, 44, of the same address, court records show. Both women are charged by District Attorney Gene Vittone’s task force with drug possession with intent to deliver, drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Mariani is charged in a separate complaint with the same offenses, accused of possessing a small amount of cocaine allegedly observed in an Aug. 21 drug deal while detectives had Patterson’s house under surveillance, the record indicates. Evelyn D. Tillman, 35, of 1026 Fallowfield Ave., Charleroi, is charged with drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia in connection with that alleged drug deal.
Meanwhile, a Thursday search of 728 Lookout Ave. resulted in the alleged seizure of one large and one small bag of cocaine and empty heroin stamp bags. That raid resulted in the arrests of Almondie Rawls, 35, and Lori Allen, 48, who both reside in the residence, and Terry Lee Newton, 27, of 304 Fallowfield Ave., Charleroi. All three are charged with drug possession with intent to deliver and drug possession. Newton also is charged with possession of an offensive weapon for allegedly carrying brass knuckles with a spring-loaded knife blade.
The cases stem from the Aug. 15 arrest of Cathleen Patterson’s son, Shawn L. Patterson, 29, who has several Charleroi addresses, on charges he possessed 30 bricks of heroin and nearly $6,000 in drug money.
Five of the suspects arrested this week were placed in Washington County jail on $100,000 bonds set by District Judge Larry Hopkins. Tillman’s bond was set at $50,000.
A seventh arrest warrant stemming from the investigation had yet to be served Friday afternoon, a court official said.