CLEARFIELD – A drug suspect who would have required significant and costly treatment for transmissible medical conditions was released from jail after his bail was reduced in Clearfield County Court.
Luther L. Ware Jr., 63, of Clearfield has been charged with manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver; criminal use of communication facility; and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.
According to a court order, on Oct. 16, an argument was heard on a motion to reduce Ware’s bail before President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman. In the order, the court noted that Clearfield County Jail officials have certified that Ware has severe and transmissible medical conditions.
Dr. Lawrence S. Levinson, M.D., CCJ medical director, advised the warden by letter on Oct. 14 that Ware “is being treated for significant medical issues” that are “best attended to in an environment other than the Clearfield County Jail.” The warden also advised the court that the cost of Ware’s prescribed and medically required prescriptions would be $25,000 to $30,000 per month.
According to the court order, Ware resides locally at an apartment on Turnpike Avenue and his last involvement with criminal proceedings is believed to be in the state of New York in 2004. It was also noted that the Attorney General’s Office has seized possession of Ware’s car.
Ammerman ordered for Ware’s bail to be reset to $100,000 unsecured. In his order, Ammerman placed Ware under the supervision of the Clearfield County Adult Probation Office.
Ware is prohibited from leaving Clearfield Borough and Lawrence Township without either written approval from the adult probation office or an order of the court. It was noted that Ware’s whereabouts will be monitored with a GPS tracking unit, and he has a nightly curfew from 9 p.m. – 6 a.m. during which time he will not be permitted to leave his residence, except for an emergency.
Ware is prohibited from the use or possession of alcohol or controlled substances. He is also prohibited from entering any establishment, which serves, provides, sells or permits alcohol. Ware is subjected to such other standard conditions as may be set by the adult probation office.
“Certain terms and restrictions were placed upon Mr. Ware, including the reporting, in person, to the adult probation office,” stated Court Administrator F. Cortez “Chip” Bell III in e-mail correspondence with GantDaily.com. “And, he has complied with that provision.”
According to the affidavit of probable cause for the case, Ware contacted a confidential informant on Oct. 8, saying he was coming back to Clearfield the next day with a large amount of controlled substances. The CI had multiple cell phone conversations with Ware about it, and authorities subsequently obtained a search warrant for his Turnpike Avenue apartment.
Prior to the execution of the search warrant, the CI made a controlled purchase of one gram of crack/powder cocaine from Ware. The CI paid Ware $100 and the drug/money exchange occurred within Ware’s apartment. Another male was present in Ware’s apartment and he said Ware could “take care” of the CI first.
The male who was inside the apartment with Ware was waiting for controlled substances for distribution. Once the CI paid Ware, the CI left the apartment to meet with law enforcement. At that time, the CI turned over the crack cocaine that had just been purchased from Ware.
When police executed the search warrant, someone tossed a bag containing approximately a half-ounce of a controlled substance, presumably crack cocaine, from the window of Ware’s apartment. Police also seized approximately 180 bags of heroin from the kitchen table area. During a search of the apartment, police located approximately a half-ounce of powder/crack cocaine.
The CI had previously indicated to police that during the controlled purchase, Ware had reached outside an apartment window to a location consistent with where 12 bags of powder/crack cocaine were found inside a pill bottle. Police also found a ledger sheet with amounts needed to be made from the sale of all of the controlled substances, including cocaine and heroin. Next to the pill bottle, police found a sock containing the packaging materials consistent with the distribution of controlled substances and namely crack cocaine.
Upon Ware’s arrest, police located $195 on him. Of that police said $100 was money used during the controlled purchase.