Preliminary hearings were continued yesterday for several people who were arrested after a drug bust in Antis Township on March 24.
One suspect, Joseph J. Williams, Jr., 21, Brooklyn, NY, waived his preliminary hearing on Thursday and also waived his right to a hearing on Tuesday for other charges.
The arrests in the March 24 case came as a result of a search warrant that was executed at 10 Beechwood Drive.
Heroin drug buys were made earlier the same week ahead of the Friday raid. Two brothers, 25-year-old Benjamin Scot Grove and 20-year-old Wesley Richard Grove live at the Antis address where the latest drug bust happened.
Authorities seized 50 packets of heroin from the older of the two Grove brothers. The packets had a street value of $2,000. A bundle of heroin with a street value of $400 was seized from the younger Grove brother. The warrant also netted 10 other packets of heroin valued at $400 from suspect Edmund Shuck Lee of rural Hollidaysburg. Authorities also seized $2,400 in cash and several other items as part of the bust.
The bust also led to the arrests of two people who were charged for drug crimes that alleged happened prior to March 24. Christopher Noel and Lindsey Jo Wood were arrested for incidents on Feb. 26 and March 22 respectively. Williams, the alleged supplier, was also collared.
All the cases were transferred to District Judge Fred Miller’s office. Here is the list of suspects in the case:
• Benjamin Scot Grove, 25, 10 Beechwood Dr., Altoona- Grove was originally arraigned before District Judge Paula Aigner and was incarcerated in Blair County Prison on $25,000, 10 percent bail;
• Wesley Richard Grove, 20, 10 Beechwood Dr., Altoona- Grove was arraigned before Judge Aigner in March and was incarcerated in Blair County Prison on $25,000, 10 percent bail. Judge Miller said Both Groves have hired Altoona attorney Thomas Dickey to represent them. Both have been released after posting bail.
• Joseph J. Williams, Jr., 21, 143 Palmetto St., 3C, Brooklyn, NY- Williams was arraigned before Judge Aigner and was incarcerated in Blair County Prison on $100,000 straight bail. A request for bail modification was made on Williams’ behalf by his attorney John Sisto on March 28. Judge Miller denied the request and Williams was remanded back to prison. Yesterday, Judge Miller explained he could not confirm Williams’ current status because the charges against Williams were now at the county level. Calls were placed to Blair County Court of Common Pleas and Williams’ attorney, but The Herald was unable to verify his status by press time.
• Edmund Shuck Lee, 44, RD 2, Box 71, Hollidaysburg- Lee was arraigned before District Judge Aigner and was incarcerated in Blair County Prison on $25,000, 10 percent bail. Judge Miller said Lee was now out on bail.
• Christopher Noel, 26, 322 Main St., Apt. 4, Bellwood- Noel was arraigned via video and released on $25,000 unsecured bail in March and
• Lindsey Jo Wood, 20, 322 Main St., Apt. 4, Bellwood- Wood was arraigned before District Judge Fred Miller and was incarcerated in Blair County Prison on $10,000 straight bail. Wood was represented by the public defender’s office and a bail modification request was granted. Wood’s bail was revised to $10,000, 10 percent and she was released after posting the 10 percent on March 28.
In late March, Judge Miller said the Groves, Lee and Noel had attorneys appointed for them on March 29. Later, the Groves decided to hire attorney Dickey. A new date for the preliminary hearings for the five suspects who did not waive their rights to have a hearing has been set for May 25 at 8:30 a.m. Judge Miller said the request for the continuance was made by defense attorneys. He also said some of the suspects are facing additional charges.
