One of two Hazleton man recently arrested in what authorities termed one of the biggest local heroin busts they had seen is headed to state prison after being sentenced Wednesday in Schuylkill County Court for possessing a salable quantity of heroin in February in McAdoo.
Joshua Jimenez, 25, must spend 21 to 42 months in a state correctional institution, an amount of time recommended by both prosecutors and the defendant, Judge Charles M. Miller ruled.
"We will go along with the recommendation," said Miller, who made the prison term consecutive to Jimenez's current Luzerne County sentence. "It's still a substantial sentence."
That sentence also requires Jimenez to pay costs, a $500 fine, $300 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund, $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and $113 restitution to the state police crime laboratory in Bethlehem, undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities.
Jimenez pleaded guilty Oct. 18 to conspiracy, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
McAdoo police had charged Jimenez with possessing heroin and drug paraphernalia Feb. 3 on West Blaine Street in the borough. Assistant District Attorney Jennifer N. Lehman said that Jimenez had 0.94 grams of heroin on him.
Jimenez was arrested Oct. 24 by Hazleton police on charges of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, conspiracy, criminal use of a communication facility and possession of a controlled substance stemming from his alleged involvement in heroin sales in and around that city.
At a press conference following the arrest, Hazleton, West Hazleton and Butler Township (Luzerne County) police showed off stacks of money totaling about $2,500, a large quantity of heroin valued between $8,000 to $10,000, a small amount of marijuana, two "eight balls" of cocaine, cellphones and a Smith and Wesson semiautomatic handgun.
Jimenez's preliminary hearing in that case is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Nov. 28 before Magisterial District Judge Joseph D. Zola, Hazleton.
