Pittston City Council will seek $1M grant for South Main Street streetscape project

web1_PA-softball-1.jpg

Nina Cencetti, Pittston Area rout Elk County in opener of state tournament

WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A man who admitted previously to drug charges seems to have changed his mind.David Anthony Hines, 32, of Wilkes-Barre, withdrew his guilty plea Wednesday to charges of possessing heroin with intent to deliver, heroin delivery and a weapons charge, according to court papers.Hines, entered his guilty plea to the drug charges in January before Judge Tina Polachek Gartley and admitted separately to the weapon charge in February before Judge Fred A. Pierantoni III, court documents say. The cases were transferred to Gartley for sentencing.The charges, spread over three cases, are set to be tried in October.If found guilty, Hines must pay $226 restitution, court papers say.According to a criminal complaint, officers working as part of the Luzerne County Drug Task Force together with the state Officer of Attorney General charged Hines, known by the street name &#8220;Chops,&#8221; in September 2013 after controlled purchases of heroin the previous month.Hines caught the weapon charge while incarcerated, another complaint says, when correctional officers found him attempting to flush a sharpened metal bolt down a toilet.The complaint says the bolt came from a crutch handle belonging to another inmate.<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By James O&#8217;Malleyjomalley@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach James O&#8217;Malley at 570-991-6390 or on Twitter @TL_omalley.</shirttailMeta></div>

Suspected heroin dealer withdraws guilty plea