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HANOVER TWP. — Two men tried to pass off Epsom salt as crystal methamphetamine when they sold the substance for cash in a parking lot off the Sans Souci Parkway on Thursday night, according to court records.
Township police and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force arranged to buy crystal methamphetamine from Frank Jones, authorities report.
Jones, 31, of Port Carbon, agreed to meet the buyer in the Hanover Mall parking lot, court papers say.
Authorities said Jones arrived in a vehicle occupied by Tyler Joseph Mooney, 24, of Frackville, and Mariah Blackwell, 22, address listed as homeless, at about 10 p.m.
Jones allegedly approached the buyer, asked to see the cash, and told the buyer, “his guy” won’t give him the crystal meth.
Authorities said after the buyer showed Jones the cash, Mooney entered the buyer’s vehicle and displayed the substance in a cigarette pack. After the exchange, Mooney got out of the buyer’s vehicle and re-entered Jones’ car, which turned onto the Sans Souci Parkway before it was stopped, records state.
Money used in the exchange was recovered from Jones’ car, authorities said.
And an unknown substance was found in a Ziploc bag and a plastic bottle allegedly found on Mooney.
Authorities tested the substance, and got a negative result for crystal meth.
Mooney allegedly told authorities, “I was told to bring Epsom salt.” If he did, Jones would give him $30 for a ride to Hanover Township, a complaint says. Mooney claimed he was further instructed by Jones to show the buyer a cigarette pack and to get money, court records say.
The third suspect, Blackwell, was allegedly found with a glass pipe with burnt residue.
Jones and Mooney were charged with criminal conspiracy to engage in a drug sale and sale of a non-controlled substance represented as a controlled substance. Jones was further charged with criminal use of a communication facility.
Blackwell was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.
Jones and Mooney were arraigned Friday by District Judge Michael Dotzel in Wilkes-Barre Township and jailed for lack of $5,000 bail each. Blackwell was released on her own recognizance.
