News

November 21, 2009

Two Penn State students arrested on drug charges

Lehman Twp. police say pot and about 70 vials of steroids worth $4,000 were seized.

By Edward Lewis elewis@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
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LEHMAN TWP. – Two students enrolled at Penn State Wilkes-Barre were arrested on Friday on charges they were selling marijuana and steroids from their apartments adjacent to the campus.

Authorities allege Gregory Thomas Zukosky, 19, of Levittown, Bucks County, was selling marijuana to other students from his apartment in Nittany Commons, a complex of off-campus buildings primarily used for student housing.

After Zukosky was arrested, authorities were permitted to search the apartment of Ryan James Paige, 20, of Long Pond, where they allegedly found marijuana, steroids and contraband.

College Chancellor Charles Davis said the school’s judiciary advisory board will determine the fate of Zukosky and Paige because charges were filed against them.

Lehman Township police Chief Harold Kocher said police seized approximately 70 vials of steroids worth about $4,000; a large amount of marijuana; drug paraphernalia, including pipes, bongs and a gas mask with a hose that connects to bongs, and money.

A soda can and a pill bottle with hidden compartments were also found in the apartments, authorities said.

Authorities said they believe Zukosky would travel home every other week to obtain marijuana to package and sell to other students.

Zukosky was charged with eight counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, four counts each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, and a single count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Paige was charged with two counts each of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance, and a single count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

They were arraigned by District Judge Diana Malast in Plains Township and jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $10,000 bail each.

Their arrests follow the unrelated arrest of a King’s College student on Monday by Wilkes-Barre police.

City police allege Pliney D. Nivens Jr., 19, a football player from the Bronx, N.Y., was in possession of a pound of marijuana inside his dorm room at Flood Hall on the campus of King’s College. Nivens has been temporarily suspended from the college, said King’s College spokesman John McAndrew.

Nivens was charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia. He was freed on $10,000 unsecured bail.

McAndrew said if Nivens returns as a student, he’ll be subjected to disciplinary action by the college.

The investigation at Penn State began in early October when the school’s chief of security, Gary Beisel, alerted authorities about alleged drug trafficking at Nittany Commons.

Zukosky was arrested after a series of alleged undercover drug purchases coordinated by police in Lehman and Dallas townships, and the state Office of Attorney General’s Luzerne County Drug Task Force, according to charges filed.

Zukosky and Paige are scheduled for preliminary hearings on Nov. 30 before District Judge James Tupper in Trucksville.

Nivens is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday in Wilkes-Barre Central Court.

Edward Lewis, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7196.

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