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Walk planned in response to KKK recruitment fliers circulating in Wilkes-Barre

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Average gas prices for Sept. 2

<p>WILKES-BARRE TWP. &#8212; Township police arrested a man from New York City on charges he intimidated a witness at his preliminary hearing on drug trafficking offenses.</p><p>Thomas Abreu Jr., 34, who was residing on Scott Street, Wilkes-Barre, appeared before District Judge Michael Dotzel in Wilkes-Barre Township for his preliminary hearing Tuesday on charges he was peddling heroin from a motel room on Schecter Drive in July.</p><p>Three handguns were allegedly found in a backpack Abreu attempted to hide in the motel when police were searching for him.</p><p>Police allege Abreu at Tuesday&#8217;s court proceeding said to a witness, &#8220;I see you with your peoples, you snitch.&#8221;</p><p>The witness further told police Abreu, while free on $100,000 bail on the drug offenses, entered his residence and threatened him saying, &#8220;If you go to court people disappear all the time. I don&#8217;t care about your life, I&#8217;m gonna do twenty years,&#8221; police said.</p><p>Police arrested Abreu at his preliminary hearing charging him with intimidation of a witness. He was arraigned by District Judge Donald Whittaker in Nanticoke and jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility without bail.</p><p>Police said the district attorney&#8217;s office is expected to file a petition in county court to revoke Abreu&#8217;s bail on the drug and firearm case.</p><p>Abreu was initially arrested July 26 when police investigated a report he allegedly threatened an ex-girlfriend with a handgun in the area of Mundy and Kidder streets.</p><p>Police spotted Abreu standing next to his vehicle outside Motel 6.</p><p>Abreu ran into the motel when he seen a police cruiser.</p><p>Police allege Abreu carrying a backpack entered an adjacent motel room occupied by two people. The occupants told police Abreu stashed sandwich bags full of &#8220;stuff&#8221; (suspected heroin) under a mattress, about $1,000 in a dresser drawer and hid a red bag filled with unpackaged heroin in a trash can in the bathroom, according to the criminal complaint.</p><p>Police searched Abreu&#8217;s room he rented and allegedly found 51 heroin packets, packaging materials, a grinder and nearly $7,250 found in a sock, the complaint says.</p><p>Police believed Abreu frequently traveled between New York and Pennsylvania.</p><p>Court records in New York indicate Abreu was recently paroled on a drug conviction.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Abreu </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_Thomas-Abreu-7-27-15.jpg</photo0><caption0>Abreu </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Ed Lewis at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TLEdLewis</p></shirttailMeta></div>

New York man charged with intimidating witness in Wilkes-Barre Township drug case