Rush traffic stop nets cache of heroin

A traffic stop along Route 309 in Rush Township Wednesday morning led to the seizure of a large amount of suspected heroin and charges filed against two men and a juvenile from the Scranton area.

Rush Township Police were monitoring traffic at 1:50 a.m. Wednesday when a southbound 2005 Hyundai caught the officer’s attention. A records check indicated the insurance on the vehicle had been canceled, leading the officer to stop the car in the area of the One Stop station in Still Creek.

A strong odor of marijuana wafted from the interior of the car. The driver said neither he nor his passengers had been smoking.

One of the passengers in the back seat was identified as Kenneth Rosario, 18, of Scranton. Additional rear seat passengers were Anthony Morreale, 35, of Kingston and a 16-year-old male.

The occupants and vehicle were searched. Rosario had two bags of vegetable matter on his person. A plastic bag on the rear seat, which had been in Rosario’s possession when the officer made initial contact, contained 114 blue bags containing suspected heroin, unpackaged 4.5 grams of suspected heroin and multiple empty wax paper bags, commonly used to package heroin.

Rosario was charged with felony counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and criminal conspiracy, along with misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, child endangerment and corruption of a minor.

Morreale had a stun gun concealed in his right pocket. He was charged with possession of a prohibited weapon.

The juvenile was transferred to the custody of juvenile authorities.

Rosario and Morreale were arraigned before District Magisterial Judge Stephen Bayer, who released Morreale on his own recognizance. Rosario’s bail was set at $50,000 percentage, which he was unable to post. He was transported to the Schuylkill County Prison in Pottsville.