CLEARFIELD – A New Millport couple will stand trial for selling bath salts.
Joshua Dotts, 23, of 3306 Douglas Rd., New Millport is charged with criminal conspiracy/manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance; manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance; criminal use of communication facility; criminal conspiracy/intentional possession of a controlled substance; and use/possession of drug paraphernalia.
He waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday during centralized court. His bail was set at $10,000, unsecured.
Franchesca Ruth Rauch, 21, 466 Pine Rd., also of New Millport, was charged with criminal conspiracy; intentional possession of a controlled substance by person not registered; manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance; use/possession of drug paraphernalia; and criminal use of communication facility.
After a preliminary hearing Wednesday, Magisterial District Judge Richard Ireland ruled all charges but the conspiracy charges be sent to the court of common pleas for further disposition. Her bail is $5,000, monetary.
According to the affidavit of probable cause in the Dotts case, on July 6, a confidential informant arranged a purchase of bath salts from Dotts. The informant met with Dotts in a parking lot on South Second Street in Lawrence Township.
Undercover officers observed Dotts enter the informant’s vehicle and shortly after, exit the vehicle and walk into a nearby business. The informant told police Dotts mentioned he had enough bath salts for the week.
The affidavit in the Rauch case states that Rauch, Dotts and others were using bath salts. Rauch, a longtime girlfriend of Dotts was aware he was selling bath salts and delivered bath salts to others, according to the criminal complaint. On July 13, Rauch contacted an undercover officer through a text asking him to sell her subutex.
