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Deficit-ridden Pennsylvania may face another credit downgrade

<p>PLAINS TWP. &#8212; Two people charged with delivering the heroin and fentanyl that led to a man&#8217;s fatal overdose are now facing trial in Luzerne County Court.</p><p>Eric Scott Malia and Joan Rosengrant, both of Wilkes-Barre, appeared before District Judge Joseph Spagnuolo for a preliminary hearing Thursday.</p><p>Malia, 32, and Rosengrant, 47, each waived the hearing on evidence, sending their charges to higher court.</p><p>They are each accused of counts that include drug delivery resulting in death, conspiracy and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.</p><p>Malia and Rosengrant were arrested in April, marking <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/651070/luzerne-county-da-to-announce-arrests-for-drug-delivery-resulting-in-death" target="_blank">the first arrests of their kind</a> in Luzerne County&#8217;s history. State law was changed several years ago, eliminating a requirement to prove alleged dealers had malicious intent in order to charge them in a death.</p><p>Malia and Rosengrant are accused in the January overdose of 32-year-old Michael Gumaer. An autopsy confirmed he died due to the combined effects of heroin and fentanyl.</p><p>&#8220;Fentanyl is a narcotic 100 times more potent than morphine, and even more potent than heroin,&#8221; Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said during a press conference to announce the charges this spring. &#8220;It is being delivered to addicts in place of heroin, and causing deaths at a higher rate than that of any other highly addictive drug.&#8221;</p><p>Malia and Rosengrant are now scheduled for formal arraignments at 10 a.m. Oct. 5 at the Luzerne County Courthouse.</p><p>Malia, of River Street, has been denied bail.</p><p>Rosengrant, of Monroe Street, remains incarcerated for lack of $500,000 bail.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Eric Malia, 32, Wilkes-Barre, hides his face shortly after he was arraigned in April. He and co-defendant Joan Rosengrant, 47, also of Wilkes-Barre, will now stand trial on charges that include drug delivery resulting in death. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_MALIA.jpg</photo0><caption0>Eric Malia, 32, Wilkes-Barre, hides his face shortly after he was arraigned in April. He and co-defendant Joan Rosengrant, 47, also of Wilkes-Barre, will now stand trial on charges that include drug delivery resulting in death. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_ROSENGRANT.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Rosengrant </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_ROSENGRANT.jpg</photo1><caption1>Rosengrant </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Travis Kellar</p><p>tkellar@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Travis Kellar at 570-991-6389 or on Twitter @TLNews</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Pair charged in man’s fatal OD now facing trial