JOHNSONBURG — A Ridgway man is currently incarcerated in the Elk County Prison in lieu of bail after allegedly transporting heroin from the Pittsburgh area into the Ridgway area.
Cody Allen Stahl, 20, has been charged with a felony count of manufacture, deliver or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver; a felony count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities; a misdemeanor count of conspiracy to commit manufacture, deliver or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver; and a misdemeanor count of intent to possess a controlled substance by a person not regulated.
An affidavit of probable cause outlining the charges was obtained from the office of Magisterial District Judge James L. Martin.
According to the affidavit, law enforcement officials became aware that Stahl and a second man, identified as Brandon Ecklund, planned to travel from the Pittsburgh area into Ridgway with a “bunch of dope.”
Law enforcement officials determined that the pair would be driving in a silver Chevrolet Impala, and on Wednesday at approximately 8:55 p.m., law enforcement officials observed the silver Impala driving at an excessive rate of speed along state Route 949.
According to the affidavit, the car was traveling north, away from Pittsburgh.
Law enforcement officials positioned their vehicle behind the Impala and later initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle.
Ecklund was allegedly in the driver’s seat, while Stahl was in the passenger’s seat; according to the affidavit, Ecklund’s license is suspended for a prior DUI.
During the traffic stop, the City of St. Marys Police Department was called so a K-9 unit could search the vehicle.
According to the affidavit, the K-9 unit detected the presence of an odor of an illegal controlled substance inside the vehicle.
Ecklund was the first to be searched, and according to the affidavit, he allegedly told officers that “Cody had the stuff.”
However, Ecklund was allegedly found with a pen tube and bags of heroin within a cigarette pack on his person.
When officers requested Stahl exit the vehicle, he reportedly refused to do so and began to make furtive movements while trying to use his left hand to conceal an unknown object in the seat cushions.
When officers removed Stahl from the vehicle, they saw five bricks of suspected heroin and a bundle of heroin in the car, according to the affidavit.
Additionally, an undetermined amount of money was in the passenger side door.
After being placed under arrest, law enforcement officials allegedly found an additional 10 bricks on Stahl’s person, according to the affidavit.
As a result of the incident, Stahl has been charged.
He was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Barry D. Brown on Thursday at 1:30 a.m.
Brown set bail at $75,000 monetary; unable to post bail, Stahl was remanded to the Elk County Prison.
He is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing on Nov. 9 at 9:45 a.m. before Martin.
Online court documents do not list an attorney for Stahl.
The commonwealth will be represented by the Elk County District Attorney’s Office.
Online court documents do not show charges against Ecklund.
