CLEARFIELD – Two men accused of being involved with a methamphetamine drug ring pleaded guilty and were sentenced Thursday during jury selection in Clearfield County Court.
The charges are the result of an investigation by agents of the attorney general’s office into drug activity at Vincent Panebianco’s Clearfield home.
After they stopped a vehicle leaving the home in February, officers found over $19,000 in a locked box and drug paraphernalia, according to the affidavit.
Investigators claimed this was evidence they were on their way to Ohio to purchase methamphetamine for the drug ring.
This led to a search warrant being issued for Panebianco’s residence where they found an ounce of methamphetamine, packaging materials, scales, firearms and cash, Senior Deputy Attorney General Dave Gorman said at an October trial.
A mistrial was declared during the second day, due to the jury possibly hearing conversations between the judge and attorneys during a sidebar and the case was rescheduled for December’s jury selection.
Panebianco, 29, pleaded guilty Thursday to felony counts of criminal conspiracy and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance-methamphetamine (10 to 15 grams). He was sentenced to 18 months to five years in state prison, according to a court employee.
Marcus Waltmon, 41, Clearfield, who was a passenger in the vehicle, also pleaded guilty Thursday to criminal conspiracy/possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance–methamphetamine (less than 2.5 grams) and was sentenced to 18 months to 40 months in state prison.
The third man included in the October trial, Darrell Taylor, 30, of Springdale signed a plea agreement Nov. 20 on charges of criminal conspiracy, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of firearm prohibited, according to court documents.
Taylor is not yet scheduled for sentencing.
The driver of the vehicle, Eric Kyler, 42, of Winburne, pleaded guilty in this case in October and was sentenced to 42 months to 10 years in state prison.
In an unrelated contraband scheme, Kyler also received an additional two to four years in prison.
