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<p>HANOVER TWP. &#8212; Two men tried to pass off Epsom salt as crystal methamphetamine when they sold the substance for cash in a parking lot off the Sans Souci Parkway on Thursday night, according to court records.</p><p>Township police and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force arranged to buy crystal methamphetamine from Frank Jones, authorities report.</p><p>Jones, 31, of Port Carbon, agreed to meet the buyer in the Hanover Mall parking lot, court papers say.</p><p>Authorities said Jones arrived in a vehicle occupied by Tyler Joseph Mooney, 24, of Frackville, and Mariah Blackwell, 22, address listed as homeless, at about 10 p.m.</p><p>Jones allegedly approached the buyer, asked to see the cash, and told the buyer, &#8220;his guy&#8221; won&#8217;t give him the crystal meth.</p><p>Authorities said after the buyer showed Jones the cash, Mooney entered the buyer&#8217;s vehicle and displayed the substance in a cigarette pack. After the exchange, Mooney got out of the buyer&#8217;s vehicle and re-entered Jones&#8217; car, which turned onto the Sans Souci Parkway before it was stopped, records state.</p><p>Money used in the exchange was recovered from Jones&#8217; car, authorities said.</p><p>And an unknown substance was found in a Ziploc bag and a plastic bottle allegedly found on Mooney.</p><p>Authorities tested the substance, and got a negative result for crystal meth.</p><p>Mooney allegedly told authorities, &#8220;I was told to bring Epsom salt.&#8221; If he did, Jones would give him $30 for a ride to Hanover Township, a complaint says. Mooney claimed he was further instructed by Jones to show the buyer a cigarette pack and to get money, court records say.</p><p>The third suspect, Blackwell, was allegedly found with a glass pipe with burnt residue.</p><p>Jones and Mooney were charged with criminal conspiracy to engage in a drug sale and sale of a non-controlled substance represented as a controlled substance. Jones was further charged with criminal use of a communication facility.</p><p>Blackwell was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.</p><p>Jones and Mooney were arraigned Friday by District Judge Michael Dotzel in Wilkes-Barre Township and jailed for lack of $5,000 bail each. Blackwell was released on her own recognizance.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_Mariah-Blackwell-10122018.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Blackwell </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_Mariah-Blackwell-10122018.jpg</photo0><caption0>Blackwell </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_Tyler-Mooney-10122018.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Mooney </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_Tyler-Mooney-10122018.jpg</photo1><caption1>Mooney </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_Frank-Jones-10122018.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Jones </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_Frank-Jones-10122018.jpg</photo2><caption2>Jones </caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Police: Two men sold Epsom salt as methamphetamine