Palmerton man picked up on drug charges in warrant sweep

A Palmerton man is among eight suspects who were apprehended as part of a warrant sweep.

Jeffrey Smith, 33; Amy Freed, 33; and James Smiley, 47, were picked up in the 200 block of Lehigh Avenue in Palmerton.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Sgt. Chris Ritter of the Palmerton Borough Police Department:

At 8:30 a.m. March 11, Ritter was dispatched to a home in the 200 block of Lehigh Avenue to assist deputies with the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office.

The United States Marshals Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force, which consists of members from the Pennsylvania State Police, the PA Board of Probation and Parole, and the Northampton County Sheriff Department Criminal Warrant Unit, conducted the warrant sweeps and were serving a felony arrest warrant on Freed.

While they were there, they saw drugs and drug paraphernalia in the house.

Deputies said Freed had a crystalline substance which appeared to be methamphetamine.

Freed also said that the homeowner, Smith, 33, had been conducting frequent drug sales of both methamphetamine and heroin from the residence and that he had “re-upped” the previous night, obtaining 7 grams of methamphetamine from an unknown man.

A search warrant was obtained, and officers found a plastic bag containing numerous rounds of blue pills identified as alprazolam, a schedule 4 controlled substance, along with five waxen baggies of a whitish powder consistent with heroin inside a VCR/DVD player in a second-floor bedroom.

Police found hundreds of small, clear plastic baggies that are commonly used to package methamphetamine, along with a digital scale.

Smith admitted to giving Freed $200 cash on the evening of March 10 to buy methamphetamine.

Smith also said that Freed left the residence and returned later with methamphetamine, of which he snorted a line as the two watched a movie in his bedroom.

Smith faces charges of possession with intent to manufacture or deliver; unlawful possession of a controlled substance; and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He is incarcerated in the Carbon County Correctional Facility in lieu of $10,000 straight bail, and is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing at 9:30 a.m. March 27 before District Judge William Kissner of Palmerton.

Freed was wanted by the Northampton County Sheriff Department for violating the conditions of her bail. Her original felony charges are theft and receiving stolen property.

Police said Freed stole a gun and traded it for heroin in Hellertown.

Methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia were recovered from Freed when she was picked up.

Freed had a second active warrant with Carbon County Adult Probation. She was being supervised on original charges of possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.

Freed is currently lodged in Northampton County Prison and awaits disposition on her case.

Smiley had an active domestic relations warrant with Carbon County. He detained for the Carbon County Sheriff Department and transported to Carbon County Correctional Facility, where he is lodged awaiting disposition.

Others who were apprehended include: Michael Skrzypek, 36, in the 700 block of Garibaldi Avenue in Roseto; Thomas Stocker, 37, in Allentown; Oris Barner, 35, in Petersburg, Virginia; Robert Parr, 62, in the 200 block of North Jane Street, Allentown; and Jose Bermudez, 29, in Bethlehem.