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ASHLEY — A woman convicted of peddling cocaine and heroin in 2015 was arraigned Wednesday on charges she used counterfeit $50 bills at a Family Dollar store last year.
Police allege Jordan Krystel El, 22, of East South Street, Wilkes-Barre, entered the Ashley store Aug. 15 and purchased a $500 Visa gift card with 10 $50 bills.
After the purchase, a store clerk tested the bills and discovered each bill was counterfeit, according to arrest records.
Police allege a customer in the store identified El, and video from a surveillance camera recorded the transaction.
El was apprehended during a traffic stop by Wilkes-Barre police in the Sherman Hills Apartment Complex at about 10:45 p.m. Tuesday. Police said she was in possession of a controlled substance.
El was arraigned by District Judge James Haggerty in Luzerne County Central Court on charges of forgery and theft. She was released on $15,000 unsecured bail.
Court records say El was arrested by Hanover Township police and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force in May 2015 when a search warrant was served at her then residence on Boland Avenue.
Authorities at the time said they found heroin, cocaine, marijuana and other contraband inside El’s residence.
She pleaded guilty to possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and was sentenced in October 2016 to eight to 20 months in jail followed by one year probation, court records say.
She was also ordered to pay restitution and fines totaling $2,801, and has been making monthly payments with her last payment of $10 Monday.