CLEARFIELD – A Philipsburg woman has been accused of receiving a drug package in the mail.
Sydney Nicole Bowman, 19, has been charged by the Pennsylvania State Police with a felony count of manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver and misdemeanor counts of intentional possession of a controlled substance and use/possession of drug paraphernalia.
Bowman waived her right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday during centralized court at the Clearfield County Jail. Her bail has been set at $25,000 unsecured.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, on Aug. 1, 2017, state police received a report about a suspicious package at the West Decatur post office. An employee related a parcel had been received that originated from China.
The employee also said that the USPS didn’t have the addressee, Bowman, listed to receive mail at this post office box in West Decatur. The investigator observed there was a telephone number below the address and it was found to belong to a “Mr. Drews” in Nebraska, not Bowman.
Additionally, the investigator noted the word technology was misspelled in the company’s name in the China address, and the parcel was “heavily” taped and sealed completely. Its label indicated the contents were “rosin,” which is an extract of cannabis.
The same day, a postal employee contacted Bowman to notify her a package was received in her name but addressed to a post office box other than hers. She related she’d ordered the package prior to obtaining her own post office box and used the one listed on the package. Bowman indicated she would be down to pick it up.
A few minutes later, Bowman arrived and claimed the parcel. After she exited the post office, state police requested to speak with her. She asked what this was about and was subsequently advised it was believed there was a controlled substance in the package.
The investigator went on to say he believed there was sufficient probable cause to obtain a search warrant. Bowman asked what probable cause, the investigator asked for the package and stated he would show her.
He proceeded to point out indicators on the parcel and advised he intended to apply for a search warrant to open it. He explained if it contained illegal substances, she would be arrested; otherwise, he’d contact her and she would be able to retrieve it.
The investigator asked Bowman about the contents of the parcel and she claimed that she didn’t know what was inside. She said about two weeks prior, a friend had asked to use her post office box to receive a package.
When he pressed her about her friend’s identity, she said she wanted to speak to her friend and ask “her” what was in the package first. He told Bowman she was welcome to make the call, which she did not.
She said her friend told her she’d call when the package arrived so she’d know to go pick it up. However, she said it must have arrived earlier than expected. She said plans were for her to pick up the package and arrange delivery to her friend.
The investigator confirmed Bowman’s contact information and departed with the parcel. He then applied for and was granted a search warrant, at which point he opened it.
Inside he found a clear Ziploc bag containing a yellow, crystalline substance, which was consistent with the appearance of “Rosin.” The investigator didn’t attempt a field test and instead packaged it to be sent for analysis.
A laboratory report relative to the substance indicated that it was alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (alpha-PVP), a Schedule I controlled substance. It weighed 98.80 grams, according to the affidavit.
