Police arrest 2 on drug charges
Two Canonsburg residents were arrested by borough police following a traffic stop initiated when a Canonsburg officer assigned to the federal Drug Enforcement Agency reportedly spotted suspicious activity by one of those taken into custody.
James Nelson III, 41, of 401 Highfield Ave., and Nicole Martinez, 33, of 129 ½ Greenside Ave., were arrested about 6 p.m. Monday after they were stopped in the parking lot of a business in the 500 block of West Pike Street.
Chief Al Coghill said the DEA officer got a tip that Nelson might be making a drug deal. He saw Nelson going back and forth between two vehicles and was spotted tossing an object into the passenger side of one of those vehicles and driving off, police said. Coghill said police knew Nelson’s license is suspended, and he was stopped by Officer Anthony Cancilla.
“When the car was stopped, the two inside appeared to be shoving objects under the seats,” Coghill said. “An alarming part of the stop was that a car with affiliates of Nelson also pulled in, so we called for assistance from North Strabane.”
Nelson was asked to step out of his car. Police said he was holding his wallet and a wad of cash. When he was patted down, police said they found stamp bags in his pants pocket. He allegedly told police Martinez had a bag that also might contain narcotics that she bought from a dealer selling out of her residence.
Martinez also was asked to get out of the car. Police searched the vehicle and said they found a long, black sock under the driver’s seat that contained a bundle of heroin. Five more stamp bags were found in a cigarette pack, they said. In all, police said they confiscated about 100 stamp bags of suspected heroin with two different markings on the bags.
“The investigation is twofold,” Coghill said. “We will try and have the heroin tested to determine if it is laced with fentanyl and see if it has anything to do with the recent overdoses.”
Police in the county have investigated at least 50 overdoses on heroin believed to be laced with fentanyl. At least four deaths have been reported.
Inside the second car were John H. Ross IV, 39, of 302 Crawford St., Canonsburg, and a woman identified by police as Nelson’s girlfriend. Police said Ross was acting nervously. They said they found him with three stamp bags of suspected heroin. He also was taken to the police station, where he signed a waiver of arraignment and was released. Drug charges will be filed against him later.
Martinez and Nelson were arraigned before District Judge Larry Hopkins on charges of possession and possession with intent to deliver heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia. Nelson also is charged with conspiracy and driving under suspension. Both were placed in Washington County jail on $35,000 bond. They will face a Sept. 23 preliminary hearing before District Judge David Mark.