CLEARFIELD – A Houtzdale man incarcerated on $50,000 bail for allegedly selling cocaine was in court recently asking for his bail to be lowered.
Robert Stephen Gavlak II, 27, is facing three counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal use of communication facility. The charges stem from an incident Dec. 21 in Houtzdale Borough when police say Gavlak sold cocaine to a confidential informant.
Gavlak’s attorney, Curtis Irwin, stated that Gavlak has been incarcerated since March 1 and is not able to post that amount of bail. Gavlak added that if he is released he will live with his mother.
Assistant District Attorney Jendi Schwab responded that this crime occurred while Gavlak was living with his mother and pointed out that his bail could be revoked because he has overlapping criminal cases.
Court records show that the day after he sold cocaine, Dec. 22, Gavlak grabbed cash from an open register at a local Dollar General store. He pleaded guilty to this in February.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Judge Paul Cherry denied Gavlak’s motion to reduce his bail.
The criminal complaint in the drug case details how an undercover agent asked a confidential informant to contact Todd Anderson in an effort to purchase cocaine.
Arrangements were made for the CI to meet with Anderson’s brother-in-law, Gavlak. Anderson told the CI to contact Gavlak to set a time for them to meet. The CI and Gavlak exchanged several text messages before the CI and undercover officers arrived at the home around 3:43 p.m.
Gavlak drove up in a blue Mitsubishi as the CI left the vehicle. The two then entered the house. About 15 minutes later, the CI returned with a bag of suspected cocaine. The CI turned over the plastic bag to the agent.
According to the affidavit, the CI said once he/she was inside the home, he/she was invited to Gavlak’s bedroom in the basement. Once there, Gavlak gave the CI the drug in exchange for the $300 in pre-recorded funds that had been provided to the CI. The only other people in the residence were two children and a woman.
Todd Anderson, 45, and his wife, Catherine Renee Anderson, 34, are also facing drug charges for selling cocaine.
