A 62-year-old man was arrested by Pottsville police on Tuesday during a felony vehicle stop in the area of Seventh Street and Laurel Boulevard.
Police said Ralph J. Caruano Jr. was taken into custody pursuant to charges associated with sales of heroin in the city during an investigation conducted by members of the department’s Drug Investigation Unit.
Chief Richard F. Wojciechowsky said that during the course of the investigation, Caruano was seen by officers while he traveled to and from controlled deliveries of heroin during which he would provide the packaged drugs in exchange for cash.
The heroin delivered in each of the controlled buys supervised by Pottsville police was subsequently seized by investigators, the chief said.
Wojciechowsky added that at the time of his arrest on Tuesday, Caruano was found to be in possession of packaged heroin being held for sale along with $650 cash.
The chief said officers obtained a search warrant approved from Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville, and executed the warrant at Caruano’s 248 N. 10th St. home.
During the execution of the warrant, Wojciechowsky said, investigators recovered quantities of heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana along with digital scales and various packaging materials used in the delivery of controlled substances, as well as more than $238,000 in currency hidden in bags.
Caruano was arraigned by Reiley on three separate criminal complaints charging him with six counts of felony manufacture, delivery, or possession with the intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, three felony counts of criminal use of a communications facility and three misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance.
Reiley set bail at $20,000 straight for each set of charges for a total of $60,000 and ordered Caruano committed to Schuylkill County Prison.
Wojciechowsky said that additional charges against Caruano, including felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, will be filed before Reiley stemming with the contraband seized during the execution of the search warrant at the man’s home.
The chief said investigation pertaining to Caruano’s activities and others involved with them is continuing.