Denbo man waives right to hearing
CENTERVILLE – A Mon Valley man who lived in a house where a drug raid was conducted in Deemston in December showed up without an attorney Monday at his preliminary hearing on charges he sold crack Feb. 2 while under police surveillance.
George Anthony Briggs, 56, of 1143 First St., Denbo, waived his right to a preliminary hearing before District Judge Joshua Kanalis in Centerville, while maintaining his right to a hearing before a judge in Washington County Court, said Assistant Washington County District Attorney Jerome Moschetta.
State police said they had Briggs under surveillance because he lived at 2430 Martindale Road in Deemston Dec. 8 when officers stormed the residence, making three arrests in a case in which fentanyl patches, crack and marijuana were seized. Briggs was not charged in that raid.
Moschetta has said the case is part of a larger investigation into heroin and fentanyl being funneled into Washington and Fayette counties from Philadelphia.
In connection with the raid, Briggs’ son, Michael A. Martin, 34, of Philadelphia, is in custody and awaiting trial on drug delivery and related charges in Washington County Court. Also jailed in that case are Jennifer Dawn Green, 48, of 2430 Martindale Road and Samantha Lee Howes, 38, of Clarksville.
Briggs moved to Denbo after the raid, police said.
Police said Briggs was seen getting into a vehicle at the Walmart off Route 40 in West Brownsville about 3 p.m. Feb. 2 and traveling across the Monongahela River to Brownsville, where he met another man before returning to his vehicle at the Walmart. Briggs’ vehicle was later stopped by state police at Route 88 and Community Road in East Bethlehem Township, and police said a search revealed 16 grams of crack and powdered cocaine.
West Brownsville police also charged Briggs Feb. 1 with illegal possession of three Suboxone packets during a traffic stop about 10:30 p.m. Feb. 1 on Old National Pike near Low Hill Road, court records show.
Briggs was returned Monday to Washington County jail, where he has been held since his arrest on $50,000 bond.
He also is on state parole for distribution of controlled substances.