State police arrest two people on drug charges
Two people were arrested Sunday afternoon by state police after they reportedly left bags inside a store at Washington Crown Center in North Franklin Township.
Amanda Marie Lemley, 30, of 213 Mt. Carmel Road, Aleppo, and Nicolas Edward Vorhes, 25, who state police said has no known address, were arraigned before District Judge Robert Redlinger on charges of possession of a controlled substance, marijuana and paraphernalia.
State police and firefighters from North Franklin and Canton townships were sent to the mall about 1:15 p.m. for a report of a suspicious package left inside a store by a man wearing a hooded shirt.
An employees of Marshalls told police that she had opened one of the bags left in the store and saw shampoo bottles taped together. She called 911, concerned that it might be a bomb. Police were given a description of the man who left the bags, later identified by police as Vorhes, and the woman, later identified as Lemley.
The pair allegedly went back into the mall area. Several police departments, including Washington and South Strabane Township, were called to assist. Lemley was found during a search of the mall. Vorhes was located inside Rural King.
Vorhes allegedly told police that there were drugs and paraphernalia inside his bags. Police said they found paraphernalia, suspected marijuana, Suboxone and a stamp bag. Police said Lemley was found with suspected marijuana and a syringe she said contained methamphetamine.
North Franklin fire Chief Dave Bane said the mall was not evacuated. He said firefighters were on standby at the perimeter.
Both suspects were placed in Washington County jail on $10,000 percentage bonds. They face a Nov. 14 preliminary hearing before Redlinger.