3 Franciscan friars to surrender in child endangerment case

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Pringle council reduces borough secretary’s hours, cites savings

<p>Five Wyoming Valley residents were arrested and 12 pounds of marijuana were seized Thursday in raids related to an investigation into marijuana dealing to mostly West Side high school students.</p><p>According to the Kingston Police Department Narcotics Division, law enforcement officials also seized five guns, over $44,000 in cash and various drug paraphernalia items in raids at 21 Cherry St. in Kingston, 88 Virginia Terrace in Forty Fort and 302 Lehigh St. in Wilkes-Barre.</p><p>On Thursday morning, Kingston Narcotics detectives in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General executed two search warrants and several arrest warrants in the Kingston and Forty Fort areas. The search warrants were the result of a two-month joint investigation into a marijuana distribution ring, Kingston police said.</p><p>Detectives arrested Matthew Mackiewicz, 18, of Forty Fort; Matthew Klinges, 21, of Kingston; and Jordan Stravolo, 22, of the Kingston area. The three men were arrested on numerous felony drug charges stemming from several controlled purchases of marijuana in the Kingston area over the past few months, police said.</p><p>Police said the investigation into the alleged drug dealing began in January and concluded when two search warrants were executed and all three men were taken into custody at various locations on the West Side. The investigation revealed that Mackiewicz and Klinges were responsible for distributing large quantities of marijuana to various individuals on the West Side, with a large portion of their clients being of high school-aged individuals.</p><p>Detectives said they seized $19,359 in U.S. currency, marijuana, two guns, cell phones and ammunition during the search of the residences in Kingston and Forty Fort.</p><p>The investigation then led to a residence in Wilkes-Barre, where officers with the Wilkes-Barre Police Department along with Kingston police and agents of the Office of Attorney General executed another search warrant at 302 Lehigh St. in the city, police said.</p><p>A search of that residence produced an additional $25,000 in cash, two handguns, a shotgun, several boxes of ammunition, approximately 12 pounds of marijuana and numerous items of drug paraphernalia. Two people were arrested by Wilkes-Barre police at the Lehigh Street location: Rachel Rosario, 41, and her son, Ruben Rosario Jr., 19.</p><p>Police estimate the street value of the high-grade marijuana seized through the warrant to be in excess of $50,000.</p><p>Mackiewicz, Klinges and Stravolo were arraigned before District Judge Paul Roberts of Kingston and jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of bail in the amounts of $60,000 each for Mackiewicz and Klinges and $40,000 for Stravolo. Rachel and Ruben Rosario Jr. were transported by Wilkes-Barre police to the county jail for an overnight arraignment.</p><p>Kingston police said charges against another individual, Ruben Rosario Sr., will be filed by Wilkes-Barre police.</p><p>Mackiewicz was charged with two counts each of delivery of marijuana, possession with intent to deliver marijuana, criminal use of a communication facility, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia in connection with alleged drug buys on March 11 and March 16, police said.</p><p>Klinges faces the same charges, plus one count of criminal conspiracy to deliver marijuana, in connection with alleged drug buys on Feb. 23 and March 16, police said.</p><p>Stravolo faces the same charges as Klinges in connection with alleged drug buys on Feb. 23 and March 17, police said.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_WestSidePot1web-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Some of the items seized during drug raids and arrests Thursday in Kingston, Forty Fort and Wilkes-Barre. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_WestSidePot1web-3.jpg</photo0><caption0>Some of the items seized during drug raids and arrests Thursday in Kingston, Forty Fort and Wilkes-Barre. </caption0><photoCredit0>Submitted photos </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_WestSidePot2web-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Some of the items seized during drug raids and arrests Thursday in Kingston, Forty Fort and Wilkes-Barre. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_WestSidePot2web-3.jpg</photo1><caption1>Some of the items seized during drug raids and arrests Thursday in Kingston, Forty Fort and Wilkes-Barre. </caption1><photoCredit1>Submitted photos </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_stravolo.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Stravolo </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_stravolo.jpg</photo2><caption2>Stravolo </caption2><photoCredit2>Submitted photos </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_klinges.steve_.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Klinges </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_klinges.steve_.jpg</photo3><caption3>Klinges </caption3><photoCredit3>Submitted photos </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_mackiewicz.steve_.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Mackiewicz </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_mackiewicz.steve_.jpg</photo4><caption4>Mackiewicz </caption4><photoCredit4>Submitted photos </photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Steve Mocarsky</p><p>smocarsky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Steve Mocarsky at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @TLSteveMocarsky.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

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5 arrests in alleged marijuana ring, said to be dealing mostly to West Side high school students