Aug 27, 2014 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – A Washington man who was believed to be selling heroin from a Waynesburg motel room and was arrested in January after a search of the room turned up 121 stamp bags of heroin and $6,436 in cash, was sentenced last week by Judge Farley Toothman to 2 to 4 years in prison.

Lee James Wright, 34, of 34 Monarch St., pleaded guilty Aug. 20 to possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, conspiracy and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Detectives with the Greene County Drug Task Force received information Wright was selling heroin throughout Greene and Washington counties, including from a room at the Holiday Motel at 1135 E. High St.

After conducting surveillance of activities at the motel and a controlled purchase of heroin from occupants of the room, detectives obtained a search warrant and searched the motel room Jan. 16.

Police found a large quantity of heroin in the pocket of a red hoodie jacket in the bathroom. Wright’s identification and cash were also found in the pocket.

Numerous syringes, spoons with heroin residue, cotton balls and empty stamp bags were found throughout the room, police said.

In addition to the prison sentence, Wright was ordered to pay $750 in fines. He was given credit for time served. Jessica Jenkins, 26, of Waynesburg also was arrested at the hotel and charged with similar offenses. Her case has not yet been adjudicated.

In other cases, Cesar Rafael Guzman, 51, of 263 E. High St., Waynesburg, pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property and criminal mischief in connection with a burglary at a hunting camp at 2358 Golden Oaks Road, Jackson Township, May 27.

Charges of theft and burglary were withdrawn by the Commonwealth.

Guzman was sentenced to 2 ½ to 8 years in prison, fined $500 and ordered to pay $3,126 in restitution to the owner of the camp, Sean Pendell.

Joseph Matthew Black, 25, of 379 Woodies Road, Waynesburg, pleaded guilty to theft, conspiracy, possessing instruments of crime, numerous summary traffic violations, and in a separate case, retail theft.

Black was arrested Feb. 20 after he entered a Strand Energy site at 116 Baker Road, Franklin Township, to steal copper wire. A worker at a nearby company saw Black and attempted to stop him from driving away. Black drove through a gate at Strand and was later stopped by state police.

Black was sentenced to 6 to 23 ½ months in jail, fined $2,500, ordered to pay $7,150 in restitution and perform 325 hours of community service. He was given credit for time served, 139 days.

He also pleaded to retail theft for stealing a can of tuna fish from the Sunoco Service Station in Waynesburg April 2. He was given a concurrent sentence of 30 days to 6 months in jail.