CLEARFIELD – A DuBois man pleaded guilty to selling prescription medications during plea and sentencing court in Clearfield County.
James E. Burnside, 49, 14 N. Church St., DuBois, pleaded guilty to criminal use of communication facility and two counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance-hydrocodone. He was sentenced to six months to two years less one day in jail and three years consecutive probation. He was fined $450 plus costs. Burnside must undergo a drug/alcohol assessment and DNA testing.
The charges were filed as a part of “Operation Gobble Up,” an investigation by the Clearfield County Drug Task Force and the Office of the Attorney General – Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and Drug Control in November.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, a confidential informant contacted Burnside to ask if he had any pills in October. Burnside said he didn’t but would have some the next day.
Later Burnside called the informant saying he had pills. The informant asked him to call his friend who was actually an undercover agent.
The informant along with the agent traveled to Burnside’s house, where Burnside and two others were sitting on the porch. They told Burnside they wanted four pills. Burnside produced a baggie of about 50 pills and handed them to the informant who then gave the baggie to the agent. The agent gave Burnside $25 and took four of the pills, which later tested positively as hydrocodone.
