Heroin bust on Schuylkill Expressway
A Columbia County man is behind bars after state police stopped the vehicle in which he was a passenger...
NORRISTOWN >> A Columbia County man is behind bars after state police stopped the vehicle in which he was a passenger on the Schuylkill Expressway in Lower Merion and seized 315 individual packets of heroin.
Roland Bower, 34, of Berwick, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 15 months to four years in a state correctional facility after a jury convicted him of charges of possession with intent to deliver heroin, possession of heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia in connection with the May 23, 2016, traffic stop on westbound I-76 in Lower Merion.
Judge William R. Carpenter, who presided over the jury trial, said Bower is eligible for the state Department of Corrections’ Recidivism Risk Reduction Incentive program.
The program, commonly referred to as “Triple R-I,” allows eligible non-violent offenders to receive reductions of their minimum state prison sentences if they successfully complete all required treatment and maintain good-conduct records in prison. Prisoners can be released upon completing the program only if officials are satisfied that the offenders pose no risks to public safety.
Bower can reduce his minimum sentence to 11¼ months if he successfully completes the prison program, according to court documents.
The driver of the vehicle, Jason L. Bilby, 33, also of Berwick, previously was sentenced as part of a plea agreement to 9-to-23months in the county jail after he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of conspiracy to engage in possession with intent to deliver heroin. Bilby also was ordered to complete three years’ probation following parole.
The investigation began about 2:30 p.m. May 23, 2016, when state police at Philadelphia conducted a traffic stop of a Pontiac Grand Am, traveling westbound on I-76 at Belmont Avenue, with a malfunctioning brake light, according to court papers.
Troopers alleged Bilby, the driver, and Bower, the front seat passenger, acted suspiciously and Bower gave police false identification information.
Bilby initially told police that he and Bower traveled from Columbia County to Philadelphia to look for cars.
“Bilby could not give this trooper any name of a dealership or even a location of where they were looking for cars in the city and this trooper noticed that Bilby had heroin track marks on his arms…,” according to the criminal complaint filed by state police Trooper William Martino.
Police alleged a records check determined Bower was wanted by Luzerne County authorities for alleged receiving stolen property and drug-related charges.
When police peered inside the vehicle they noticed a partially open plastic bag which contained a “bricktype shaped rectangular bundle that was wrapped in newspaper,” Martino alleged. Police observed two additional brick-type bundles inside the vehicle that contained suspected heroin.
“Through training and experience this trooper believed that the wrapper was consistent with that of material to package heroin,” Martino wrote in the arrest affidavit.
When Bower was questioned by police he allegedly stated he was unaware of the heroin that was found at his feet on the passenger side floor and that it belonged to Bilby.
“Bilby explained that he uses heroin and that Bower deals and he drove Bower into the city today to purchase heroin and in exchange for the transportation to Philadelphia Bower would also give Bilby some (heroin) for personal use,” Martino alleged.
Bilby claimed the heroin belonged to Bower and he produced text message conversations between he and Bower “to prove his statements were correct and true,” according to the arrest affidavit.
Police counted the suspected heroin that was seized and recorded 315 individual bags that were packaged in several bundles, according to the criminal complaint.
“Through training and experience this trooper believed that the wrapper was consistent with that of material to package heroin.” — Pennsylvania State Police Trooper William Martino