CLEARFIELD – A Clearfield man accused of being involved with a methamphetamine operation and conspiring to bring drugs into the county jail pleaded guilty Tuesday in sentencing court.
Eric James Kyler, 42, pleaded guilty before President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman to felony counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal conspiracy and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity in the first case. Ammerman sentenced him to 42 months to 10 years in state prison.
In the contraband case, he received a consecutive sentence of two to four years in state prison for possession of a controlled substance/contraband, criminal conspiracy and criminal use of communication facility, all felonies.
Kyler was arrested initially as part of an investigation by agents of the attorney general’s office into drug activity at the residence of Vincent Panebianco in Clearfield.
After stopping a vehicle Kyler was driving as it was leaving the residence in February, officers found over $19,000 in a box in the car, along with packaging materials, phones, small amounts of methamphetamine and marijuana.
Kyler had an additional $2,628 on him and his passenger, Marcus Waltmon had $662.
It was concluded that Kyler had intended to purchase additional meth from Akron, Ohio because his cell phone was continually ringing from a number in Akron.
As a result of this activity, a search warrant was obtained and executed on Panebianco’s home.
Mallory Nicole Bloom, 27, Curwensville, was one of the people found inside the home. She pleaded guilty Tuesday to felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal conspiracy.
Ammerman sentenced her to 11.5 to 23.5 months in the county jail with three years consecutive probation.
Prior to sentencing, Bloom’s attorney, Joe Ryan, stated that she did not have much of a criminal record and she was “accepting responsibility for her role in this.”
Bloom herself apologized for her actions.
The search of that home uncovered a large amount of methamphetamine, scales, packaging materials, two firearms, and a large stack of identification cards, which are often kept to ensure later payment for drugs, according to the criminal complaint.
Panebianco and the other man in the home at the time of the search, Darrell Taylor, along with Waltmon, are scheduled for a trial starting on Oct. 28 and running through Nov. 1.
In the contraband case, Kyler conspired with his wife, Jessica Kyler to get drugs into the jail.
As per jail policy, their phone calls were recorded and these revealed that Eric Kyler gave Jessica Kyler instructions on how to crush up drugs in order to get them through a small hole in the wall near a window in a multi-purpose room that was being used to house several inmates due to space issues.
The inmates allegedly broke a cot and used a piece of the metal to dig the hole.
Jessica Kyler allegedly tried to get something through the hole from outside the jail wall at one point without success, leaving behind a glove and a coat hanger.
During the calls, Jessica Kyler mentions someone named “Chad” dropping her off at the jail and at other times says she is with “Chad.”
At another time while Eric Kyler is talking with Jessica Kyler regarding how to get something through the hole, other male voices are heard and he mentions both “Mason” and “Justin,” according to the complaint.
Jail records show that Mason Miles and Justin Jordan were both housed in that room on that date.
In the final call on Feb. 26, Eric Kyler told Jessica Kyler “thank you, we did make that happen,” according to the report.
Jordan, 34, Miles, 26, and Chad Schwartz, 47, are charged for being co-conspirators.
Jessica Kyler has also signed a plea agreement and is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 22.