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Wilkes-Barre man indicted for trafficking heroin

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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A Hazleton woman who allegedly told a witness a shotgun was waiting for anyone who testified in her brother&#8217;s homicide case is expected to plead guilty next month to intimidation charges.</p><p>Documents filed this week in Luzerne County Court indicate Hilda Mora Polanco, 26, will enter the plea Feb. 10. Her brother, Rafael Mora Polanco, 28, is slated to stand trial Jan. 30 on charges he gunned down Jorge Marrero in June 2015 outside an Alter Street apartment in Hazleton.</p><p>Marrero, 35, of Hazleton, was shot four times in the back and twice in the head, police said.</p><p>Defense attorney Mary Deady on Wednesday said a &#8220;tentative agreement&#8221; is in place for Hilda Mora Polanco to plead guilty to reduced charges, but declined to comment on the matter further.</p><p>Luzerne County Assistant District Attorney Dan Zola, prosecutor in the case, confirmed the plea will be entered after Rafael Mora Polanco&#8217;s homicide trial concludes.</p><p>According to police, Hilda Mora Polanco told a witness a shotgun waited for anyone who testified against her brother. The witness was told to bring a cellphone to a nearby truck, where another man, Ramon Cruz-Maldonado, was allegedly waiting with the weapon in his lap.</p><p>&#8220;This is for whoever testifies against (Rafael Mora-Polanco),&#8221; Cruz-Maldonado allegedly said, according to the criminal complaint. Cruz-Maldonado and Rafael Mora Polanco&#8217;s brother, Denny Mora, are awaiting trial on witness intimidation and related charges.</p><p>Hilda Mora Polanco has remained jailed since witness intimidation and hindering prosecution charges were filed in June 2015.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Hilda Mora Polanco </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_web1_web1_Hilda_mora_polanco.jpg</photo0><caption0>Hilda Mora Polanco </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Joe Dolinsky</p><p>jdolinsky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Hazleton homicide suspect’s sister to enter guilty plea in witness intimidation case