News

August 5, 2009

Man charged with selling aspirin as heroin

HANOVER TWP. - A man was arrested by township police Tuesday night on charges he sold fake heroin to an undercover officer.

Billy Paul Rogowski Jr., 21, address unknown, was charged with two counts of possession with intent to deliver a non-controlled substance, and one count each of possession of a non-controlled substance, theft, possession of a small amount of marijuana and resisting arrest. He was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $20,000 bail.

According to the criminal complaint:

Township police and the state Office of Attorney General's Luzerne County Drug Task Force arranged to buy $150 worth of heroin from Rogowski in a parking lot off Oxford Street.

Rogowski exchanged 10 packets of heroin for $150, and drove away in a vehicle driven by Jared Lee Beretsky, 27, of Waller Street, Wilkes-Barre. Police stopped the vehicle on Brook Street, Wilkes-Barre, where they arrested Rogowski and Beretsky.

After police allegedly found marijuana on Rogowski, he fled on foot leading officers on a pursuit through rear yards. He was captured near Vulcan Street, the criminal complaint says.

Police said the heroin that Rogowski allegedly sold was aspirin.

Rogowski told police, according to the criminal complaint, that he sold the aspirin as heroin so he could get money to start selling real heroin.

Beretsky was charged with criminal conspiracy to possess with intent to deliver a non-controlled substance. He was jailed at LCCF for lack of $20,000 bail.

Preliminary hearings are tentatively scheduled on Aug. 11 before District Judge Joseph Halesey in Hanover Township.

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