By Lara Brenckle, The Centre Daily Times, State College, Pa., The Centre Daily Times, State College, Pa.
Dec. 20–BELLEFONTE — Four people charged with helping distribute $1.5 million worth of heroin and cocaine in Centre County pleaded guilty to drug and criminal conspiracy charges Monday.
Prosecutors said the four were charged in connection with an investigation into Taji “Verbal” Lee, who, when he was arrested in January, police called one of the biggest heroin dealers in the county.
Lee, of New Jersey, was arrested on numerous drug charges after an undercover officer arranged to purchase 400 baggies of heroin, worth about $7,500, from him, according to court reports. He remains in Centre County Correctional Facility, awaiting trial.
Prosecutors relied upon testimony from Lee’s co-defendants to build a case against Lee, even convincing one co-defendant, Kenyon A. Ebeling, 36, of Boalsburg, to tape record phone conversations with Lee.
Other co-defendants who pleaded guilty Monday are Bradley J. Arzner, 25, of State College, Nicholas S. Oswald, 25, formerly of State College, and Trista L. Shope, 24, of State College.
Arzner pleaded guilty to one count of delivery of drugs, three counts of possession with intent to deliver and one count of criminal conspiracy. He faces three to six years in prison on those charges.
He also pleaded guilty to charges in an unrelated case, in which he was accused of stabbing Penn State student David Pimentel during a fight on Hiester Street in December 2004. He entered pleas to charges of terroristic threats and aggravated assault in that case.
He faces three to six years in prison on the drug charges, and four to eight years on the stabbing charges, said prosecutor Michael Madeira, senior deputy attorney general and Centre County district attorney-elect.
Ebeling pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to deliver, one count each of criminal conspiracy, criminal use of a communication device and dealing in the proceeds of unlawful actions. She faces 111/2 to 23 months in jail.
Shope pleaded guilty to one count each criminal conspiracy and possession with intent to deliver. She faces one to two years in prison.
All three are scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 16.
Oswald, who was already on probation for an unrelated offense, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to deliver.
His attorney, Stacy Parks Miller, asked Kistler to consider mitigating circumstances — that he has made great strides in keeping off drugs, maintaining and assisting with the prosecution of his co-defendants.
Madeira did not object. Kistler sentenced Oswald to one year’s probation, to be served after his current probationary term ends. He was also fined $200, ordered to pay the cost of his prosecution and probation, and to perform one day of community service.
Lara Brenckle can be reached at 235-3902.
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