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WILKES-BARRE — Nine Luzerne County residents face charges for allegedly passing or receiving drug-filled straws through a hole in the wall at a county prison visitor booth, according to police.
According to arrest affidavits and other paperwork detailing the allegations:
Workers at the Water Street facility learned about the hole at booth No. 6 from a source inside the prison and alerted state police and the county district attorney’s office. Investigators met with prison officials April 18 and decided to conduct a stakeout the next day, with state police handling surveillance and prison workers assisting with audio and video recordings.
Four men who were lodged in the prison on April 19 have been charged with receiving drugs through the hole: Joshua Shane Miller, 28, of Wilkes-Barre; Derek L. Spaide, 25, of Kingston; Mark Madera, 30, of Hanover Township; and David A. Popish, 38, of Pittston.
Their visitors who were charged: Nicolette Hadvance, 24, of Plymouth; Frances Padilla, 26, of Nanticoke; Michelle Popish, 36, of Pittston; Robert D. Deleo, 23, of Scranton; and Melissa A. Rooney, 24, of Nanticoke.
Hadvance met Miller in booth No. 6 at 3:15 p.m. During the recorded conversation, he asked her how many, and she said “just one.” He told her to push it through and hurry because others were waiting.
After the visit, Miller was immediately searched by prison employees and had a white straw sealed at both ends in his pants that was later tested and identified as buprenorphine. He also made two calls before the visit, which were recorded, discussing plans for the visit.
At 3:35 p.m., Padilla visited Madera at booth No. 6. During the recorded conversation, he asked her if “she’s got it” and then told her to proceed. He asked her how much, and she told him 30. Madera was searched immediately after the visit and had a straw containing a drug later confirmed as N-Ethylpentylone in his buttock area.
Madera also made two recorded calls to Padilla before the visit to discuss the plans, at one point instructing Padilla to “hook up” with others before entering the building.
Rooney, Deleo and Maurice Chapman — who was not listed among the defendants in an announcement about the arrests — visited Spaide at 3:42 p.m. They occupied a booth adjacent to No. 6. Padilla and Madera occupied No. 6 at that time.
Spaide told Madera, who was seated next to him, that it was “going under right now.” Spaide was searched by prison employees and had 14 straws inside his left sneaker containing heroin, marijuana and buprenorphine. Spaide also made three calls before the visit discussing plans.
During this visit, Spaide also told Deleo to bring a screwdriver with him the next time “so when they seal up one, they can do another,” referring to the hole.
Michelle Popish visited David Popish at booth No. 2 at 3:50 p.m. He asked her if she brought “the things,” and she said she brought three. He told her everyone in his section of the prison knew about the hole.
When an inmate occupying booth No. 6 left, the Popishes moved to that booth. David Popish was searched immediately after the visit and had three straws sealed at both ends in his right sneaker containing Alprazolam tablets.
On Jan. 23, David Popish admitted to investigators that he told Michelle Popish to bring him Xanax inside straws at a prison visit. She said she didn’t want to comply but put three Xanax pills and tobacco in three straws and gave them to him.
Corrective action
The hole was most likely the result of caulking that deteriorated or was intentionally removed after new phone lines were installed, investigators said. The hole was immediately plugged and repaired after the sting.
Mark Rockovich, who was promoted county correctional services division head in July, said Friday all 13 booths are now regularly inspected to ensure there are no openings.
He credited prison workers for investigating and reporting the problem and assisting in the investigation.
Inmates are permitted two, 30-minute visits weekly, he said.
The nine were arraigned on Wednesday and Thursday before magisterial District Judge Thomas F. Malloy Sr. in Wilkes-Barre and have preliminary hearings scheduled before Malloy at 10 a.m. on Feb. 23.
They face the following charges:
• Miller: Contraband, criminal conspiracy/contraband, criminal use of a communication facility, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Hadvance: Contraband, criminal conspiracy/contraband, criminal use of a communication facility, delivery of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Madera: Contraband, criminal conspiracy/contraband, criminal use of a communication facility, delivery of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.
• Padilla: Contraband, criminal conspiracy/contraband, criminal use of a communication facility, delivery of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• David Popish: Contraband, criminal conspiracy/contraband, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Michelle Popish: Contraband, criminal conspiracy/contraband and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Spaide: Contraband, criminal conspiracy/contraband, criminal use of a communication facility, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Deleo: Criminal conspiracy/contraband, delivery of a controlled substance, criminal use of a communication facility and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Rooney: Criminal conspiracy/contraband, criminal use of a communications facility and possession of drug paraphernalia.