CLEARFIELD – An elderly DuBois woman accused of selling marijuana pleaded guilty Tuesday.
Laurel E. Poulson, 70, was sentenced by Judge Paul Cherry to nine months to two years less one day in jail and five years probation for dealing in proceeds of unlawful acts, delivery of a controlled substance and conspiracy/delivery of a controlled substance in two cases.
Prior to sentencing, her attorney, Scott Pletcher asked for leniency stating she has health issues. He also suggested she be placed on home detention. Two others spoke on her behalf, repeating that she should be on house arrest due to her poor health.
A jail employee confirmed he was unaware of her having any difficulty while she has been incarcerated at the county jail.
Assistant District Attorney Jendi Schwab said she didn’t feel house arrest was appropriate in this case because Poulson was selling marijuana from her home.
After Cherry commented about the six or seven pounds of marijuana allegedly passing through her home every other Tuesday, Poulson stated that she didn’t have that much of the drug.
Cherry also said that this had “apparently been going on” for some time and commented that she wasn’t thinking about her grandchildren but only about making money when she was committing these crimes.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, on Jan. 11 the Clearfield County Drug Task Force arranged a controlled purchase of marijuana from Poulson and Hazen L. McCartney.
The confidential informant talked with McCartney, who told the informant he was going to purchase marijuana from Poulson who gets six to seven pounds of the drug every other Tuesday from Oregon.
The informant and McCartney then traveled together to Poulson’s residence. Investigators watched as McCartney left the informant’s vehicle and entered Poulson’s residence.
After a period of time, McCartney reportedly left the home carrying a large bag in his left hand. He got back into the informant’s vehicle and they left the scene.
The two traveled to Penn Highlands DuBois and parked in the lot. There they weighed the marijuana. McCartney explained to the informant that Poulson fronted him a certain amount of marijuana to sell, according to the complaint.
When the substance given to the informant was tested, it was found to be 26.22 grams of marijuana, police said.
On Jan. 23, another controlled purchase from Poulson was arranged, according to a second criminal complaint.
This time an informant went inside the residence and bought marijuana directly from Poulson.
Once inside the home, Poulson made a deal to sell marijuana to the informant for the same price she gave McCartney. She then yelled for “Amber” to bring down “the stuff.”
A girl came down the steps with a Tupperware bowl of marijuana, the informant told police.
The substance purchased in this case was 26.24 grams of marijuana, according to the report.
Amber was identified as Amber M. Jablonski, 22, of DuBois. She is charged with felony counts of manufacture/delivery/possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, and two counts of conspiracy.
McCartney also had drug charges filed against him but his case is listed as inactive in online court documents.