Three men will stand trial after police say they hauled crystal meth into Middletown.
Israel Medina, 29, and Alfredo Nino, 34, all of Dallas, Texas, had two felony charges of drug delivery forwarded onto trial by District Judge Daniel Baranoski. Prosecutor Daniel Sweeney withdrew charges of criminal use of a communication facility and corrupt organization. Alexis Nino, 20, of Dallas, Texas, faces similar charges and waived his right to a preliminary hearing.
Advertisements
Law enforcement officials testified at Wednesday’s preliminary hearing for the two men that their arrest was part of a larger investigation that involved local, county and federal authorities.
Bucks County Detective Dale “Chip” Keddie testified that the 2013 Ford Focus the three men were pulled over in had up to $240,00o of crystal meth tucked away near the wheel wells.
Middletown police pulled over the Ford in the 1200 block of Veterans Highway (Route 413) in Levittown on Sunday, January 20. Officers made the stop in the freezing rain while other units sat nearby, according to testimony given.
Advertisements
A drug-detecting K-9 unit “hit” on possible illegal intoxicants when sniffing the rear outside of the car, Lower Makefield Cpl. Tim Reeves testified. When inside the vehicle later, the dog, named Kendo, caused damage because it was so determined to find drugs that it allegedly smelled in the rear of the Ford.
Medina and Alfredo Nino, both handcuffed and clad in prison garb, shook their heads in disagreement when Reeves was on the stand.
Advertisements
Alfredo Nino told investigators during his detainment that he was transporting the meth to a Middletown residence, Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) special agent Randy Sampson testified. Following the hearing, Sweeney said he could not comment further on the investigation or the person who the meth was being delivered to.
“[Medina] stated he believed drugs were in the vehicle,” a second DEA agent said in court.
Defense attorneys Michael Parlow, representing Alfredo Nino, and Chuck Jonas, representing Medina, both argued that there wasn’t not enough evidence for a prima facie case. Jonas said there wasn’t enough evidence to show his client knew the drugs were in the vehicle.
Advertisements
Sweeney rebutted that both men were found with the drugs in the car and noted what Modina told investigators.
