Prominent Area Attorney Stan Margle Charged With Possession of Controlled Substances and Drug Paraphernalia

Stan Margle, age 67, a prominent Easton area attorney, has been charged with possession of both controlled substances and drug paraphernalia.  These are misdemeanor charges and were lodged on Tuesday by Edward Fox, a detective in the Northampton County DA's office. 

Margle was charged with drug offenses on Tuesday after an appearance in juvenile court. He left without his briefcase. It is unclear to me whether he left the briefcase open, In an attempt to discover the owner's identity, that's when the controlled substance and drug paraphernalia were found.  

In 2019, deputy sheriffs discovered a small glassine envelope that was later determined to be methamphetamine in the well of Courtroom No. 1, near the jury box, following arraignments that day. The only people allowed to sit there are lawyers and an occasional probation officer. 

The drug was destroyed because video was unable to pinpoint anything. 

I believe there are suspects and they consist of every lawyer who was in the well of the court that day, particularly those who were in the jury box. I was even told that some lawyers could name the lawyer who dropped his meth bag.

That lawyer was Stanley Margle. 

On his professional webpage, Margle states that he "concentrates his practice in the areas of Divorce, Domestic Relations, and Real Estate Municipal Law. He has practiced since 1983 representing clients in every aspect of Family Law. Attorney Margle has extensive experience in large asset-high income Divorce cases and complex Custody litigation. Some of the more complex cases have been argued before the Superior Court in Philadelphia.

"Attorney Margle is a member of the Pennsylvania and Northampton County Bar Associations. He was a Council Member of the PA Family Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association from 2001 – 2004. He was also a member of the Board of Governors of the Northampton County Bar from 1989 – 1992. He is admitted to practice before the Federal Courts U.S. Eastern District Supreme Court of the United States. Prior to beginning private practice, Attorney Margle was a Law Clerk to President Judge Alfred T. Williams, Jr., 'President Judge of the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas'."

He lists the following clients: Township of Bethlehem (Assistant Township Solicitor); Wilson Borough (Solicitor); Bangor Borough Authority (Solicitor); The Goddard School of Bethlehem; Selvaggio Enterprises, Inc.; Pallet Express, Inc.; Brown Daub Ford Lincoln Mercury, Inc.; Prologis Development Corp.; Michelman Steel; Muschlitz Excavating, Inc.; Anthony Transportation Group; CMC Development Corporation; Nordel LP; RPM Recycling; Premier Abstract Co., Ltd.; Jay Miller Construction, Inc., and Computer Management and Marketing Associates.

He also claims to represent Northampton County as an assistant county solicitor, but that is untrue. Executive Lamont McClure actually relieved him when he took office in 2018. 

A preliminary hearing has been tentatively scheduled for March 25 before Magisterial District Judge Daniel Corpora. 

In 2024, Margle was involved in a civil forfeiture action after a Range Rover owned by him was seized because it contained drugs. It is unclear how or if that matter has been resolved.  

Margle was a $1,000 campaign contributor to DA Steve Baratta. 

As a first offender, Margle is likely eligible for ARD. 

NorCo DA Seizes $146,255 and Five Vehicles

Northampton County DA John Morganelli has seized $146,255 and five vehicles from drug dealers during the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2019. Morganelli uses this money for undercover purchases, police equipment and training.

He has this message for drug dealers: "When we catch you we will seize your money, your house, your vehicle and any other ill gotten gains from your drug dealings. Drug use and drug dealing in Northampton County will be very unprofitable."

NorCo DA Forfeiture Report by BernieOHare on Scribd

Arrest in Fatal Lookalike Drug Case

From The Bethlehem Press: As the opioid crisis continues to take lives at a record pace, a new problem has begun to emerge. Lookalike painkillers. They are designed to look exactly like prescription painkillers like Percocet. They are instead a deadly combination of fentanyl and heroin, or in some cases, pure fentanyl. They kill. On Friday, a person who sold a lethal lookalike was charged with a drug delivery resulting in death 

Lookalike Percocet

Gustavo Rivera, 31, of Bethlehem, has been charged with selling what Kara Ann Heckenberger, 27, thought were Percocet pills. They were in fact a combination of heroin and fentanyl. She died after taking just one of these pills on August 9, 2017.

Heckenberger, Bethlehem Catholic High School and Kutztown University graduate, was no junkie. She had a full-time job and lived with her parents in Lower Nazareth Tp. Though she was a healthy woman, she did suffer from gastroparesis, a painful abdominal condition. Opioids actually worsen this condition. She nevertheless obtained what she thought were two Percocet pills, stamped with a "30" on one side and an "M" on the other.

The "30" refers to 30 milligrams. Assistant DA Bill Blake, who supervises the Northampton County  investigating grand jury, said this is also the cost in dollars for one of these pills, if bought on the street. The "M" is a reference to Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, which manufactures Percocet.   

Kara Ann Heckenberger

Text messages from Heckenberger's cell phone reveal that the evening before her death, she contacted co-worker Danielle Koehler and Koehler's boyfrend, Rivera, in search of painkillers. Heckenberger was to  deposit the payment in the mailbox at Koehler's E. Ettwein Street home. While she waited at Koehler's  residence, Rivera picked up the money, and later, dropped off the pills.

At 12:36 am on August 9, Rivera texted Heckenberger to ask, "How they make you feel?"

After getting the pills, Heckenberger returned to her parents' home in Lower Nazareth Tp. She had a brief conversation with her mother, then went to bed.

At 10:15 pm, Koehler texted Heckenberger to warn her, "Be careful taking those gus [Gustavo] is messed up." 

Gustavo Rivera

Heckenberger answered, "I only take half at a time & Only when I need them for my stomach. ... I don't take them for the effect of getting f---ed up."

But at 10:42 pm, Heckenberger texted Koehler to say, "S--t Gus [Gustavo] wasn't lying. I only took half of one & I could Probably fall asleep standing up tell him to be careful with Them too."

At 12:36 am on August 9, Rivera texted Heckenberger to ask, "How they make you feel?"

She never answered.

In the meantime, Heckenberger's mother had fallen asleep on the couch and woke up on August 9 at 2:30 am. She decided to check on her daughter before going to bed. Her daughter had turned blue and was non responsive.

Colonial Regional Police arrived as her parents and brother tried to revive her. Emergency medical personnel continued the CPR that had been started by her parents,and relayed data from an AED device to St.Luke's Hospital. The hospital instructed first responders to discontinue CPR, and Heckenberger was pronounced dead at 3:30 am.

Bill Blake and John Morganelli

Police found no evidence of foul play They did find a blue speckled round pill with a "30" on one side and an "M" on the other. This resembles a standard 30 mg Percocet tablet. The pill was inside an unmarked bottle

An autopsy that day revealed that Heckenberger died as a result of  "acute intoxication." Coroner Zach Lysek ruled that the manner of death was accidental. He told the grand jury that Heckenberger's death was a direct result of the fentanyl and heroin in her system.

The pill discovered by police. Forensic analysis revealed that, instead of Percocet, the pill was a combination of heroin and fentanyl. In Mexico, this is called "El Diablito," or the little devil.

Fenanyl is 25 to 40 times more powerful than heroin. It is so strong that the Centers for Disease Control recommends that first responders avoid skin contact. It is cheap to produce, and comes primarily from Mexico and China. It killed 20,000 people last year, including Tom Petty and Prince.

The Northampton County Investigating Grand Jury recommended criminal charges against Rivera, and District Attorney John Morganelli on Friday approved a criminal complaint accusing Rivera of delivery of a controlled substance, delivery of a counterfeit controlled substance and a drug delivery that resulted in the death of another person. All three charges are felonies.

Rivera faces a maximum sentence of 70 years, as well as maximum fines of $500,000

Will Koehler be charged? DA John Morganelli declined comment on that possibility. She did testify before the grand jury, and described the procedure under which Heckenberger deposited money in Koehler's mailbox, which Rivera would then use to buy pills. Once or twice, Koehler admitted that she helped transfer money from Heckenberger to Rivera. Koehler also testified that Rivera admitted to her that he thought he had purchased Percocet pills and that the lookalike she took must have killed her.

Morganelli said the investigation is by no means over. Rivera's cell phone texts reveal that he has a source - "my boy that has em."

What happened to Heckenberger is one of at least three fatal lookalike overdoses over the past year. Two of these occurred in Bethlehem. Assistant DA Bill Blake, who oversees the investigating grand jury, believes there are more.

Morganelli is warning purchasers of illicit street drugs that they may be in "real peril and danger." He urged those with addictions to seek help. "Our goal is to save lives," he said. "Those who are involved in the sale of street drugs do not care about your safety. They care only about their profits."

Addendum: Det. Michael Melinsky of Colonial Regional Police Department arrested Rivera Oct. 29, when he turned himself in. Magisterial District Judge John Capobianco. Bail was set in the amount of $200,000, and Rivera is currently incarcerated at Northampton County jail. Rivera is represented by Scott Wilhelm, a lawyer from Phillipsburg, NJ.

The Gentrification of the Drug Trade

Legalization of some drugs, especially marijuana, is way overdue. But the way it's happening right now with medical marijuana, it's only helping people who are already rich get that much richer. Low level dealers, most of whom are minorities, get screwed.

Visit any jail or state or federal prison. Obviously, a TON of these guys are in for drug offenses. A surprising number of dealers (particularly marijuana) did it part time, and held down regular jobs (e.g. contractor, painter etc) in their community. That means there's a HUGE amount of "dark economy" dollars that are created and spent in minority communities by the illegal drug trade. Moreover, suburban folks who otherwise wouldn't be seen in these communities are still spending their recreational drug cash there.

Legalization, however, is going to gentrify the drug trade. I've seen the folks who get the licenses: They are NOT from those communities. They're largely very white, very rich and very suburban.

These drug legalization schemes have totally failed to address the substantial negative impact it will have on minority communities.

NorCo Has Record Year in Cash Seizure From Drug Dealers

DA  John Morganelli

The last 12 months have been very unprofitable for at least some Northampton County drug dealers. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, DA John Morganelli office has seized $280,907 in US currency. It's the most money his office has taken out of the hands of local drug lords within the past five years. In addition, his office has sold 10 vehicles.

Morganelli is acting under the authority of state law, which allows him to commence civil asset forfeiture actions against the property used in the commission of crime, not the person charged. This has evolved from the common law principle of deodand, under which instruments used to commit crime, as well as the profits, were declared forfeit.

Forfeitures are controversial

Prosecutors have long defended civil forfeiture as one of the tools in their arsenal to deter organized crime. But in Philadelphia, the Institute of Justice filed suit in 2014 when people, many of them with low incomes, were losing homes, bank accounts and cars. A mother whose son dealt from her home could see her home taken away, and often had little or no notice. In 2015, Philadelphia agreed to stop taking homes without providing better notice. In 2017, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court unanimously ruled that there must be strong evidence showing a home or car was used in a crime and that the owner consented. Governor Tom Wolf also signed a new law that allows parities to retain seized property during the pendency of criminal cases if they can show a hardship.

In Northampton County, DA John Morganelli said that he only brings civil forfeiture actions if there has been a conviction. But the a United States Supreme Court has just agreed to hear a case filed by a convicted Indiana heroin dealer whose $40,000 Land Rover was seized by police after he sold a few hundred dollars worth of heroin. This has been challenged as an "excessive fine" in violation of the Eighth Amendment, especially since the vehicle was purchased with life insurance proceeds, not drug money.

Community Outreach Program

In a July 16 news conference, Morganelli announced plans to use forfeiture proceeds to fund a Community Outreach Program.

First, he wants to meet with the legislative body of every municipality to determine how his office can better serve each community. he has already met Bangor Borough Council and is scheduled to visit Hellertown Borough Council in August. He pointed out that different communities have different needs.

Second, he will be sending a newsletter to county residents to outline the benefits of community block watch groups and explain how to get one started. using drug forfeiture proceeds, he is willing to provide start-up costs. This newsletter will also remind citizens of
National Night Out, scheduled this year for Tuesday, August 7, 2018.

Other Uses of Seized Drug Money

In addition to community outreach programs, forfeitures fund the salary of an assistant District Attorney, training, drug buys, equipment purchases. Since starting the drug forfeiture program, Morganelli's office has seized over $3 million. He credited Assistant District Attorney Julianne Danchak and County Detective Andre Stevens for their work in making the past 12 months a banner year for Northampton County.

Drug Forfeitures over Past Five Years

2013 -  $79,831
2014 - $120,544
2015 - $107,802
2016 - $140,290
2017 - $132,000
2018 - $280907

NorCo DA to Drug Dealers: We Will Take Your Money, Car, House

Morganelli with Forks Tp Detective Philomena Kelly earlier this year,announcing
homicide charges against a drug dealer who provided a fatal overdose. 

Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli announced yesterday that his drug forfeiture Program netted $140,290 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016. This includes $119,632 in cash, $16,019.13 from the sale of 15 forfeited vehicles and $4,638 in shared proceeds from Attorney General Forfeitures. ​

​Forfeited money is used to purchase police equipment for police, fund undercover drug purchases and provide police training. It also pays for an assistant District Attorney. Seized vehicles are used by local police as unmarked or undercover vehicles or sold at auction. Real estate used to facilitate drug distribution can be forfeited as well, although the District Attorney only uses that tool against convicted drug dealers. "I will continue to return monies we have seized to our local police departments, block watch groups, civic groups and other organizations that assist us in prosecuting drug crime and in educating our youth on the dangers of drugs," said Morganelli.

In a strange sign of economic recovery, the $140,290 forfeited over the past year is substantially more money than was taken in any of the last three years (2015 - $107,802; 2014 - $120,544; 2013 - $79,831). Since he began this program, which is authorized by state statute, Morganelli has seized over $2 million from drug dealers and returned it to the community.

"Just about every municipal political subdivision in Northampton County has at one time or another benefited from a donation from the drug forfeiture fund," said the District Attorney. “The message that we want to send to those who deal in illegal drugs is a simple and clear one: be assured that you are doing it at your own risk. When we catch you we will seize your money, your house, your vehicle and any other ill gotten gains from your drug dealings. Drug use and drug dealing in Northampton County will be very unprofitable."

McNeill Hosts Second Town Hall on Heroin Epidemic

Dan McNeill hosts Second Town Hall about heroin epidemic

I caught half of State Rep. Dan McNeill's Town Hall at Coplay's American Club Pavilion last night concerning the current heroin and opioid addiction epidemic.  There were about forty people in the audience including a few parents, teachers and high school students. McNeill did practically none of the talking. Instead, we heard from three parents whose children died as a result of heroin addiction. In addition, two young ladies who are in the very early stages of recovery spoke. One has been clean for just 76 days, and spent much of the meeting shaking The other has only been sober for two months.

A Drug Overdose Parent

Sharon Stauffer, a mother from Emmaus, had the most poignant advice. "If you're gut's telling you there's something wrong, there's something wrong." She lost her son Ryan to a heroin overdose in 2010. He dide with two needles stuck in his arm and eight empty bags of heroin at his side.

He started his drug use in 2001, smoking marijuana. Now most people don't progress from that to marijuana, bit he did because he is an addict. He had battled his addiction fro years, in and out of rehabs.

Three months before his death, friends noticed needle marks in his arms and he began crying. "I can't stop," he told them.

Before he overdosed, he made an appointment to see a counselor. She couldn't see him for a few days because one of her other clients had just overdosed and had died.

"I could be doing a lot better," he told her.

"A least you're not dead," said the counselor.

Three days later, he was.

Alone.

Sarah McCann, 76 days clean

Sarah McCann

Sarah McCann, age 24, is a cutie from New York's finger lakes. Literally, she's a farmer's daughter. And a heroin addict. She's still in a very fragile condition, and was shaking as she waited her turn to speak.

She began dating early, at 14, and began abusing heroin with her boyfriend.

In May of last year, she discovered that she had become pregnant. But doctors told her she would lose the baby, and she did. Depressed, she abused heroin even more. Then her grandmother, with whom she was very close, passed away. That made he rmore depressed, and the drug abuse continued.

Forty bags a day.

Things came to a screeching halt when her boyfriend of ten years died as a result of a heroin overdose.His parents blamed her and refused to allow her to attend the viewing. She was accused of supplying the fatal dose. "I wish I had been the one who gave it to him," she said. "Maybe it wouldn't have killed him.

The good thing about Sarah's story is that she's only 23 and has a long life ahead of her.

Heroin Caucus. 

State Rep. McNeil, said he and another State Rep will be forming what he calls a "heroin caucus" to find ways to combat this epidemic. According to everyone there, this is going to be a banner year.

Parent Support Group

If you have a teenage child suffering from addiction or alcoholism, .this is a place for support and encouragement. This group meets every Thursday, 7 pm, at First Presbyterian Church of Allentown, 3231 Tilghman St, Allentown, PA 18104.  For more information, contact Donna Jacobsen at DonnaJacobsen657@gmail.com

I will tell you about other support groups in upcoming posts.

McNeill Heroin Forum Long Overdue

Because I cover Bethlehem's Zoning Hearing Board, I was unable to attend State Rep. Dan McNeill's heroin forum last night at Whitehall High School. Ironically, a Bethlehem City Council member wanted to go, too, but was stuck at a meeting as well. But Mick Dee, McNeill's legislative aide, called to tell me the get-together was well-attended and quite informative.

Fortunately, the press covered it, and you can read read Kurt Bresswein's well-written account in The Express Times. He reports LC DA Jim Martin as telling the audience that there had been five overdose deaths over just the past few days. That's not five overdoses, but five deaths.

I was told that Bethlehem police respond to about five drug overdoses a week. Though they have been trained in the use of Naloxone, they have no kits.

One Day After Drug Sweep, DA Dismisses Most Charges

Early Wednesday morning, Colonial Regional Police and the Northampton County Drug task Force arrested and charged 14 people with dealing drugs from cocaine to hallucinigenic mushrooms. One day later, most of the charges have been dismissed. Detective André Stevens and DA John Morganelli were growing increasingly suspicious about what what they were hearing about the drug buys that led to these arrests. Concerned that a confidential informant had pocketed some of the drug money used to make buys and may even have colluded with suspected dealers, Morganelli decided that the safest course is to withdraw the charges.

"It is absolutely crucial that any criminal prosecution proceed with credible evidence," the veteran prosecutor noted.

Interviews with arrested defendants revealed that the confidential informant being used was actually pocketing some of the drug money given to make buys. There is even suspicion that he colluded with others to make phony buys in an attempt to have other charges against him reduced.

Charges against three defendants whom police observed engaged in the drug transactions are still outstanding. Those still charged with possession of and intent to deliver controlled substances are Colby Sicher, 27, of Whitehall; Christopher Janotka, 22, of Walnutport; and Dominick Nixon, 22, of Bath.

Only Janotka is in custody. All other Defendants were released on unsecured bail as arresting officers grew suspicious.

The confidential informant and others may soon be facing different charges, including false reports to law enforcement officials.

Peg Ferraro Takes Swing at DA's Drug Mailer

NorCo Council President Peg Ferraro thought there was nothing wrong with Executive John Brown's use of about $76,500 in precious county tax dollars to fund his very own public relations firm to advise him on attending St. Patrick's Day parades and prepare grammatically garbled news releases. But yesterday, Republican Ferraro took a swipe at Democratic DA John Morganelli for a newsletter he sends out about once every two years. It is paid for by the bad guys. Morganelli uses about $10,000 in drug forfeiture money, once every two years, for an informational mailer.

The subject came up during the review of a Controller Steve Barron's audit of the drug forfeiture program.

Ferraro: "There's a rather extensive newsletter, brochure, colorful, that comes out. Is that paid for out of drug money?"

Barron: "It is, Yes. ... . It's a lot like the ones the state representatives send out, state senators send out, giving their constituents updates, paid for with taxpayer money. This comes from the drug forfeiture account."

Ferraro: "I don't approve of our state representatives sending things out either. That's our money they're using for their own promotion."

I could understand being philosophically opposed to the use of tax dollars for informational mailers, which do tend to be self-promotion pieces. I even understand the objection to the use of forfeiture funds for the DA's newsletter. The late Joe DeRaymond, a local activist, used to pen LTEs complaining about them. But if Ferraro were so opposed to using drug money to explain how it's being spent, I would have expected her to be firmly opposed to Brown's public relations consultant.

Morganelli told me last night that his newsletter results in requests for speakers at schools, women's groups, churches, PTAs and senior centers. Considering that one of every three families have a member who is struggling with drugs or alcohol, these mailers are beneficial. Today, he will be speaking to a group from Bangor that contacted him in response to his newsletter

Ironically, after Ferraro took her jab, the next person up to the podium was Judge Craig Dally. Not that long ago, he was Peg Ferraro's State Representative.

"I was a little nervous when Madame President was talking about newsletters. When I was State representative, you were on my mailing list," he joked.

Morganelli Supports Amnesty For Drug OD Whistleblowers

DA John Morganelli

District Attorney John Morganelli has joined the bipartisan chorus supporting changes in state law that will guarantee immunity to minor drug offenders who report drug overdoses to emergency responders. At a June 16 news conference, he referred to legislation currently being considered by State Senate majority leader Dominic Pileggi. A similar proposal unanimously passed the State House in May. "Saving lives should take precedence over prosecuting minor drug cases," reasoned Morganelli.

A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that drug overdose deaths have doubled between 1999 and 2010. Many of these are from prescription painkillers, which have killed more than 15,500 people in the United States since 2009. In addition to the fatalities, emergency department visits for prescription painkiller abuse have doubled in the past 5 years to nearly half a million.

In Northampton County, the problem is acute. According to the Pennsylvania State Coroners Association, 149 people died in Northampton County from drug overdoses between 2009 and 2013. By contrast, in Lehigh County, there were only 40 deaths. In Monore County, there were only 32 deaths.

Northampton County has a larger number of colleges than Lehigh or Monroe County.

Morganelli calls the proposal, which still allows the prosecution of drug dealers and drug induced homicides, "reasonable legislation to encourage individuals who are aware that someone is in harm's way as a result of a drug overdose to contact 911 without fear that the good deed could land them in jail."

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 34 states have introduced bills this year to minimize the number of drug overdose deaths. Morganelli added that 19 states already have some form of amnesty.

In Pennsylvania, Governor Corbett signed legislation in 2011 that provides legal amnesty to underage drinkers who call emergency authorities to help a friend with an emergency, alcohol-related, illness.

Why Your Kids Should Brush Their Teeth

John Morganelli announces no criminal charges in LSD case

Two young men from Bangor, aged 7 and 10, were a little late getting ready for school one fine morning this September. As their mom reminded them to brush their teeth, the boys decided on a short cut. Instead of the toothbrush, they grabbed a bottle of breath mint, and took a few drops each. Problem solved, right?

Wrong, their problem was just beginning. It was one that would send both of these boys to the hospital. It would involve police and Children and Youth. Their parents would themselves have to undergo drug screening for five weeks.

You see, instead of breath mints, these boys had just ingested LSD, according to Pennsylvania State Police.

At a November 28 news conference, Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli explained how it happened.

Just a few days before, these boys found the breath mint bottle on the porch outside their apartment building. They brought it in and put it in the medicine cabinet. Mom thought Dad bought it. Dad thought Mon bought it.

Running late for school, these boys finally had the excuse they needed to squeeze a few drops. After an overnight stay at Lehigh Valley Hospital, they'll probably think twice before drinking from something they find outside.

Their parents came under suspicion, too. In addition to several interviews with local police, they were subjected to a five-week investigation by Children and Youth. This included a review of the boys' medical histories and home visits, both announced and unannounced. These parents even had to undergo weekly drug and alcohol screening.

According to Morganelli, two residents in that apartment building were known drug users. But they are gone. Attempts to locate them were unsuccessful, and police were unable to lift prints from the bottle.

The good news is that both boys are fine. "Luckily, it appears there will be no long term effects," announced Morganelli. In fact, neither of them remembers what happened after taking the drops.

But their parents will remember for the rest of their lives.
DA Morganelli: No Charges in Kids' Poisoning

Are You Afraid of a Rehab Center by Becahi?

Imagine you're a little child, and that you've decided to go down a big sliding board with your eyes closed. As you come to the bottom, you open your eyes, and standing right in front of you is

... an alcoholic!

What do you see? To most of us, it would be a grimy old man, maybe wearing a tattered raincoat and carrying a brown paper bag, leering at us. It's an unpleasant image.

And that's the image that Attorney Blake Marles, representing Abe Atiyeh, had to contend with during a five hour long hearing before Bethlehem's Zoning Hearing Board over a residential treatment facility for alcohol and drug additions, at Dewberry Avenue, right by Bethlehem Catholic High School.

The place was packed with at least at least 90 people, including City Council members J. Willie Reynolds, Eric Evans and Dave DiGiacinto. But they were in the peanut gallery with the rest of us. Zoners Gus Loupos, Ron Lutes and Bill Fitzpatrick have the unenviable job of deciding whether to grant a special exception for a treatment center to be run by the Malvern Institute, perhaps the most prominent drug rehab center in the state.

There's no question that the location of this facility, which actually is next to a baseball diamond at Becahi, is very unpopular with mothers and students. Hope Cotturo, whose daughter attends Beca, came all the way down from Pen Argyl to make her concerns known. Nearby neighbors are very upset, too.

After all, the place will be full of ... alcoholics. Addicts, too! Someone in a drug-crazed frenzy might attack a cheerleader.

I'm going to have to put off writing about the testimony until later on Thursday because the hour is late, even for me.

I listened to an airline pilot whose wife mentioned she was an attorney about forty times. He was tired, having been up since 4 AM, but nevertheless suggested that "those people" might lurk outside the facilities, just waiting for an opportunity to sell drugs to kids or ravish one of them.

I had almost forgotten, but it suddenly hit me. I am one of "those people." In 1985, when I first quit drinking, I did a 28-day stint at St. Joe's. I am one of those dangerous alcoholics. In fact, the sliding board story at the beginning of this little essay was presented to me when I was there.

We couldn't picture ourselves as alcoholics or addicts because we were pretty much the same as everyone else, at least on the outside. Nobody there was wearing a wrinkled, old raincoat, or carrying a brown paper bag. But every single one of us is an alcoholic.

Alcoholism affects nearly every family, and there are really no local treatment centers for this disease. When people object to it right by a high school, what they are really doing is evoking that sliding board stereotype.

I understand the fear. I realize how a mother, especially, might feel threatened. But I think it's misplaced. Greg Zebrowksi told me that I don't care because I don't live there. I do care, but I am one of "those people" who terrifies everyone. I can't handle booze, but that doesn't mean I'm likely to go streaking across a high school campus or that I'd sell kids drugs.

Before I go into details with a factual narrative, I'll ask you - what do you think? If you were a zoner for a day, how would you rule?

Dent's Synthetic Drugs Bill Clears House Energy & Commerce Committee

Legislation introduced by LV Congressman Charlie Dent to combat the growing abuse of synthetic drugs today passed the powerful House Committee on Energy & Commerce, clearing the way for future consideration on the House floor. Called the Synthetic Drug Control Act (H.R. 1254), the Bill has been gaining momentum as a result of a national rise in hospitalizations and deaths related to synthetic drug use. There's a companion Bill in the Senate, too.

“I am very pleased H.R. 1254 has taken another crucial step toward becoming law,” Rep. Dent said in a news release. “I thank Chairman Upton and Ranking Member Waxman for their support and commitment to moving this bill through the Energy & Commerce Committee. I look forward to H.R. 1254 being considered on the House floor soon and anticipate its passage with strong bipartisan support.”

This Synthetic Drug Control Act targets chemical compounds that affect the brain in a manner similar to THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, and adds them to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. Schedule I bans drugs and controlled substances that have high potential for abuse and have no use in medical treatment in the United States. The bill also bans chemical compounds used in synthetic drugs commonly sold as ‘Bath Salts’ or ‘Plant Food’, which have been identified as cocaine substitutes. Abuse of bath salts has recently garnered much public attention in Pennsylvania, where disturbing cases of violent, erratic and dangerous behavior have been linked to recreational use of the substance.

Dent's proposed legislation also enhances the authority of DEA to temporarily ban drugs in the interest of public safety and provides greater time for the agency to prove a chemical is harmful, lacks medicinal or industrial value, and should be banned permanently.

The legislation has twenty cosponsors, both Democrat and Republican.

Dent's Testimony Concerning Synthetic Drugs (Bath Salts, Incense)

LV Congressman Charlie Dent's testimony to the Health Subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Energy & Commerce, delivered at 10 AM today:


“Chairman Pitts, Ranking Member Pallone, members of the subcommittee, thank you for allowing me to testify today on the very important matter of synthetic drugs. I appreciate the committee’s interest in my bill, H.R. 1254, the Synthetic Drug Control Act of 2011.

“The issue of synthetic or designer drugs was first brought to my attention less than a year ago by a constituent whose son had been abusing drugs that went by names like K2 or Spice and acted as legal substitutes for marijuana. These drugs are classified as “synthetic cannabinoids,” artificial drugs which affect the brain in a manner similar to marijuana. However, these drugs can in fact be even more harmful than the substances they simulate, increasing heart rate and blood pressure and producing dangerous psychotic side effects that have led to suicides and accidental deaths.


“Synthetic cannabinoids are just one category of designer drugs. Even more potent substances, such as mephedrone and methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), often sold as “bath salts” or “plant food,” have properties similar to cocaine, methamphetamine, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and other hard street drugs. These substances are marketed with innocent sounding names, but these labels are total misnomers designed to facilitate their legal sale. These drugs have no legitimate medicinal or industrial purpose, just as actual bath salts have no hallucinogenic properties.


“Shortly after I spoke with my constituent about her son’s experience with synthetic marijuana last year, the number of news reports detailing horrific stories of individuals high on synthetic drugs virtually exploded. A man in Scranton, Pennsylvania stabbed a priest, and another jumped out of a 3-story window, both high on bath salts. Several deaths from West Virginia to Florida have been attributed to overdoses of synthetic drugs. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa has introduced a bill, with provisions similar to H.R. 1254, named after one of his young constituents who tragically took his own life while high on synthetic cannabinoids. A man in my district was arrested this past May for firing a gun out of his window in a university neighborhood. Police charges indicate he had injected himself with bath salts, and he later told police he had thought there were people on the roof watching him. Finally, I was approached by another distraught mother from my district whose son was hospitalized for over two weeks after suffering liver failure and other complications after injecting himself with bath salts. These substances pose a substantial risk, both to the physical health of the user, as well as to the safety of the user and those around him when these drugs contribute to dangerous psychotic behavior, suicide, and public endangerment.


“The fact that these synthetic drugs are legal in many states contributes to the misconception that they are safe. Additionally, the use of easily recognizable brand names and logos on the packaging promotes the concept of a consistent product. Americans frequently buy their favorite brand-name consumer products, knowing that the familiar label bears the promise of the same user experience time and again. However, the producers of synthetic drugs do not exercise the kind of quality control that manufacturers of legitimate products employ. One dose of a given “bath salt” drug might be significantly more or less potent than the next, even though the packaging is identical. This has led to recurrent users inadvertently overdosing after receiving a much stronger dosage than they were expecting.


“In order to ensure that these dangerous products are removed from retail outlets and their production and sale banned in the United States, I introduced H.R. 1254, the Synthetic Drug Control Act of 2011. This legislation, which was drafted in close consultation with federal law enforcement, has three principle components: prohibition of synthetic cannabinoids; prohibition of other designer drugs such as bath salts; and enhancement of the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) existing authority to take dangerous new substances off the street.


“One of the major difficulties in combating these designer drugs is the ability of the producers to use different variations of a chemical to skirt the law. By modifying the formula in some minor way, producers can generate a new compound which circumvents legal prohibitions but has similar narcotic effects. This legislation addresses broad structural classes of synthetic cannabinoids in an effort to form as comprehensive a ban as possible. It also targets some of the most popular designer drugs listed on the DEA’s list of “drugs and chemicals of concern.”


“Finally, H.R. 1254 enhances the DEA’s ability to impose a temporary ban on new drugs. Under current law, the Administrator of the DEA may place any compound into the appropriate schedule of the Controlled Substances Act for up to 18 months. In order to make the ban permanent, DEA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must prove that the drug is both harmful and lacking in legitimate medicinal or industrial value. If this cannot be demonstrated in time, the ban expires and the substance is removed from the temporary schedule, thus complicating any pending trials involving the drugs in question. For this reason, the DEA has historically been hesitant to use its emergency scheduling authority. H.R. 1254 would simply double the amount of time DEA and HHS have to make their case against a drug, giving them a maximum of three years to make their findings. Because synthetic drugs are usually produced in Southeast Asia and make their initial appearance in Europe before arriving in the United States, American law enforcement is usually aware of which designer drugs are about to hit domestic markets before they arrive. This extended timeframe will better allow DEA to use its temporary scheduling authority to block new drugs from ever being sold in the United States commercially.


“I am proud to say that Pennsylvania recently joined the growing list of states that have enacted bans on many forms of synthetic drugs. This is a good start, but these drugs can still be easily obtained by crossing state lines or, increasingly, ordering them over the Internet. Synthetic drugs are a national problem, as the subcommittee has shown by including them in this discussion on bioterrorism, controlled substances, and public health. A national solution is required in order to prevent further injury and loss of life. I encourage the subcommittee to take up this legislation and report it to the full committee as soon as possible.”

Democrat Mann & Republican Dent Take Aim at Synthetic Drugs

LV Congressman Charlie Dent (PA-15) and State Rep. Jennifer L. Mann (D-132) during a press conference today at Allentown’s Sacred Heart Hospital discussed parallel legislation they've authored to ban various synthetic drug substitutes sold legally in most states, including Pennsylvania. Dent and Mann were joined by Dr. Colleen Wladyslawski, Head of Emergency Medicine at Sacred Heart, and local parents whose children have used synthetic drugs.

“Seemingly every week, Lehigh Valley residents are exposed to new accounts of synthetic drug users displaying erratic and often violent behavior,” Dent said in a news release. “Although these individuals pose a serious risk to public safety, the dangerous drugs they abuse remain legal and easily accessible in stores across our area. I commend Rep. Mann for her efforts to eliminate these substances in Pennsylvania and will continue to advocate for legislation to ban synthetic drugs on the federal level.”

“Right now a 17-year-old high school student couldn’t walk into a convenience store and buy cigarettes or walk into a bar and buy a six-pack of beer, but, under current law, that same 17-year-old could buy a drug that mimics the effects of cocaine and there’s nothing the police could do about it,” Mann said. “That’s absolutely wrong, and the bills Congressman Dent and I are fighting for would give law enforcement the tools they need to get this poison off the streets and out of the hands of our students.”

The Synthetic Drug Control Act (H.R. 1254), authored by Rep. Dent, identifies chemical compounds that affect the brain in a manner similar to THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, and adds them to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. Schedule I bans drugs and controlled substances that have high potential for abuse and have no use in medical treatment in the United States.

The bill also bans chemical compounds used in synthetic drugs commonly sold as ‘Bath Salts’ or ‘Plant Food’, which have been identified as cocaine substitutes. Abuse of bath salts has recently garnered much public attention in Pennsylvania, where disturbing cases of violent, erratic and dangerous behavior have been linked to recreational use of the substance.

Additionally, H.R. 1224 enhances the authority of DEA to temporarily ban drugs in the interest of public safety and provides greater time for the agency to prove a chemical is harmful, lacks medicinal or industrial value, and should be banned permanently.

Mann’s companion legislation in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, H.B. 365, is a comprehensive bill that bans bath salts on the state level, as well as synthetic marijuana – better known as “Spice” or “K2” – and the naturally occurring, yet legal, hallucinogen salvia dinorum. This bill passed the House unanimously and now awaits action in the state Senate.

Dent Takes Aim at Synthetic Drugs

I've told you before about bath salts and incense, which I first saw at a Nazareth gas station a few months ago. The manager told me that kids were using them to get high ... legally. The gas station was making lots of money.

On Christmas day, an Easton couple on bath salts hallucinated that people were trying to break into their home. The wife was found readying herself to jump out a second floor window, child in arms. Dad was brandishing a huge metal sword, breaking windows as he went.

They sound like Dr. Gonzo and Raoul Duke on an ether binge.

"There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge, and I knew we'd get into that rotten stuff pretty soon."

In Lackawanna County, bath salts have been banned. In Luzerne County, a judge has granted an injunction against their sale. In the Pennsylvania state house, a bill banning their sale was adopted unanimously in March.

Just like ether.

At 10 AM tomorrow, U.S. Reps. Charlie Dent (PA-15) and Patrick Meehan (PA-7) will hold a press conference in Philly to discuss synthetic drug abuse and legislation to ban various synthetic drug substitutes sold legally in Pennsylvania.

The Synthetic Drug Control Act (H.R. 1254), authored by Rep. Dent and cosponsored by Rep. Meehan, bans synthetic drugs that mimic the hallucinogenic or stimulant properties of marijuana, cocaine, crystal meth, LSD, and other street drugs. The ban would apply to drugs known as ‘Bath Salts’ or ‘Plant Food’, which have garnered much public attention in Pennsylvania, where disturbing cases of violent, erratic and dangerous behavior have been linked to recreational use of the substances.

In addition to Dent and Meehan, this news conference will be attended by Dr. Kevin Osterhoudt, Director, Poison Control Center (PCC), Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP); D. Michael Green, District Attorney, Delaware County; and Seth Williams, District Attorney, City of Philadelphia.

Instead of Cellphones, How About Banning Bath Salts?

I first saw them a few months ago at a gas station in Nazareth.

"What do you do with them?" I asked.

"You get high," a lady with no teeth answered.

I'm talking about "bath salts" and "incense," which contain chemicals that mimic cocaine and marijuana. While I was getting my drug (tastykakes), some kids came in and bought a few vials.

According to Lackawanna DA Robert Klein, these products produce an alternative high with very unpleasant results. One local attorney asked merchants to remove these products. "You’re playing with fire, and you’re playing with people’s lives."

Luzerne County DA Jackie Musto has taken things one step further. On Tuesday, she sought and obtained an injunction against eight local merchants after over 100 people were treated at Geisinger Medical Center, and is seeking a County-wide ban on Monday.

Sounds like a good idea here in the Lehigh Valley, don't you think?

Correction: DA Morganelli Does Support ARD, in District Court, For Marijuana

As usual, I've screwed up. When I spoke to DA John Morganelli yesterday, he told me he supported keeping marijuana possession charges out of county court. He has just sent me this email:

"I would support giving the minor judiciary jurisdiction over these cases of Possession of small amt of marijuana and paraphernalia. I do not support routinely replacing the charge with DC bc that basically makes marijuana legal which it is not presently. We dispose almost ALL these cases via ARD. Our biggest problem is DUI offenses which makes up over 40% of our court list. We will be meeting with Judges Rosciola and Baratta soon to discuss this issue. JM"

I concluded that the reference to "DC" was a reference to District Court, and that John was telling me he supports ARD, a special program for first offenders, in county court. I was wrong. I've just received this correction from Morganelli:

"[Y]our blog is incorrect as to what I said. My reference to DC was to Disorderly Conduct. I do not support routinely replacing the small amt of marijuana charge with DISORDERLY CONDUCT. I DO support allowing Minor Judiciary to hear cases and allow it to be graded a Misdemeanor 3 and allow ARD there. JM"

So there you have it. I apologize for getting it wrong.

I probably should stop smoking weed.

Pennsylvania's De Facto Decriminalization of Marijuana

Under Pennsylvania law, possession of even a small amount of marijuana (under 30 grams) is a misdemeanor punishable by a $500 fine and up to 30 days in the hoosegow. But it appears that there is a movement afoot for a de facto decriminalization of possession of small amounts for personal use.

Five years ago, western Pennsylvania police chiefs told reporters that a person caught with a small amount of marijuana is usually let off the hook with disorderly conduct or some traffic citation, a summary offense that creates no criminal record. I've been told by people in law enforcement that the same thing happens here in the Lehigh Valley, too.

Earlier this month, Philly DA Seth Williams announced changes in "small marijuana-possession cases. No, this is not decriminalization of pot. Virtually everyone arrested and convicted for possession of small amounts of marijuana will receive the same kind of sentence they would have in the past. We are simply expediting the processing of these cases (there are several thousand a year), so we can focus on more serious crimes."

In 2008, Philly prosecuted 4716 adults, 70% of whom were black, for the stand alone offense of possessing a small amount of marijuana. Williams' solution is de facto, if not de jure, decriminalization. Basically it's a $200 fine for disorderly conduct. Second offenders get hit with a $300 bill.

Now, Berks County DA John Adams is jumping on this bandwagon, too. He wants to prosecute cases involving small amounts of marijuana in district court instead of county courts. The charge? Disorderly conduct.

But don't break out your bong in Northampton County. I talked to DA John Morganelli yesterday, and he has a different view. "I do not support routinely replacing the charge with District Court because that basically makes marijuana legal, which it is not presently. We dispose almost ALL these cases via ARD [Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition, a special program for first offenders]".

Update (10:00 AM): I have just learned that a conviction for possession of even a small amount of marijuana carries an automatic 6-month suspension of driving privileges, too.
Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa: I screwed up in stating Northampton Couny DA John Morganelli's position. He supports ARD in District Court. I have posted a separate blog to make it clear.