CLEARFIELD – The last of the three New York residents who were allegedly found in possession of large amounts of drugs and cash after a traffic stop in Lawrence Township in February appeared for their preliminary hearing Wednesday during Centralized Court at the Clearfield County Jail.
Edward Allen, 39, of Far Rockaway, NY, and Lashanda Mount, 28, of Saratoga Springs, NY already had all of their charges bound over to the Court of Common Pleas. Shaking Saunders, 36, also of Far Rockaway, NY, waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.
Allen has been charged with conspiracy/manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver; use/possession of drug paraphernalia; and make repairs/sell, etc. offensive weapon.
Saunders has been charged with manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver; use/possession of drug paraphernalia; conspiracy/manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver; and intentional possession of a controlled substance.
Mount has been charged with conspiracy/manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver. Allen and Saunders are incarcerated in lieu of $100,000 bail; Mount is incarcerated in lieu of $50,000 bail.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, on Feb. 23, Lawrence Township police received information about drug activity. The male suspects were to be checking out of an area motel and in possession of crack cocaine and large amounts of cash.
Upon receiving this information, police contacted the county’s agent with the Attorney General’s office. After that police decided to initiate a traffic stop because of the driver’s warrant information and for him driving without a license. Police proceeded to travel west on state Route 879 and observed the vehicle in question in front of them.
Police initiated a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle prior to the Wolf Run intersection on SR 879. Police observed five people inside the vehicle, and all of the individuals were subsequently transported to the Lawrence Township police station for further investigation.
Upon investigation police learned that there would be drugs, cash, guns, laptop computers, an iPad, Kindle, play station, drug paraphernalia, scales and crack cocaine inside the vehicle. Some of these items were to be in a black duffel bag in the trunk, as well as within the trunk itself.
Police also learned that a large quantity of narcotics and money were being stored in two, different duffel bags. A red duffel bag was to contain hundreds of half-gram bags of crack cocaine; a black duffel bag was to contain a large quantity of cash in mainly $100 bills.
At the station, police conducted strip searches of all of the individuals, and $604 was found on Saunders. Police also obtained permission to search the vehicle, and Allen and Mount both permitted police to search their bags, which were red and black in color.
A bag belonging to Allen contained a cellular phone and a strong odor of marijuana. In addition to that, police also found a black duffel bag, a silver and black duffel bag, a leather computer bag and a laptop computer. Based upon information, police obtained a search warrant for additional contents within the vehicle and the bags located within.
After receiving the search warrant, state police and a narcotic dog arrived at the Lawrence Township police station to search for narcotics and drug paraphernalia. Upon searching one black duffel bag, the dog hit on its contents. Police subsequently opened a side compartment of the bag and found $7,814 in assorted bills in individually wrapped stacks.
Upon opening the main compartment of the bag, police found 50.3 grams of crack cocaine, which was wrapped inside a Wal-Mart bag. Police then searched the black and silver duffel bag and didn’t find anything; however, the leather computer bag contained one digital scale, as well as receipts for money transfers in the amount of $4,236.
All evidence was seized, photographed and documented and then sent to the Erie Regional Crime Lab for testing.