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<p>HANOVER TWP. &#8212; Four people used a house across from Hanover Area Jr./Sr. High School to peddle crack cocaine, authorities allege.</p><p>Township police and agents with the Luzerne County Drug Task Force served a search warrant at 69 Park St. arresting Louis Robert Abend, 56, Judith A. Rackley, 60, Keyshawn Joval Phelps, 19, and Lascelles Simmonds, 29, on Wednesday.</p><p>Authorities searched the residence after undercover agents allegedly purchased crack cocaine delivered by Abend in the driveway.</p><p>When agents raided the house, Phelps allegedly flushed crack cocaine in a toilet.</p><p>The house is directly across from the high school.</p><p>Abend, Rackley and Phelps reside at the Park Street residence while Simmonds&#8217; address is listed as Madison Street, Scranton.</p><p>According to criminal complaints in the case:</p><p>Undercover agents arranged to purchase crack cocaine from Abend who exchanged the narcotics for cash in the driveway of the residence on Tuesday and Wednesday. Abend was spotted leaving the residence to make the deals.</p><p>A search warrant was later obtained and served at the residence.</p><p>When agents arrived, Abend, Rackley and Simmonds were detained when they were about to enter a vehicle.</p><p>Phelps was detained when he exited a bedroom shortly after he flushed crack cocaine in a toilet. A plastic bag was recovered from the toilet bowl that also had crack cocaine residue in the water.</p><p>Authorities allege they found new and used plastic bags with some having crack cocaine residue, more than $800 cash, two rolls of plastic wrap and two cell phones in Phelps&#8217; bedroom. Some of the cash found in Phelps&#8217; bedroom was used to purchase crack cocaine from Abend on Tuesday and before the raid on Wednesday.</p><p>Phelps was found possessing a scale and a bag of crack cocaine.</p><p>Rackley was found with a pipe commonly used to smoke crack cocaine and a foil packet of the drug.</p><p>A bag of crack cocaine was found on Abend.</p><p>With interviews with agents, Abend claimed he lives at the residence with Rackley and Phelps rents a bedroom, paying with crack cocaine in lieu of cash.</p><p>Abend alleged Simmonds supplied Phelps with crack cocaine including 50 grams delivered on Wednesday prior to the residence being searched.</p><p>Rackley told agents Phelps moved into 69 Park St. about three weeks ago and stated &#8220;bad things&#8221; were happening as Phelps and Abend sold crack cocaine. Rackley claimed she would give crack cocaine to people but would not sell the drug.</p><p>Phelps and Simmonds invoked their right to remain silent.</p><p>Abend was charged with five counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, three counts of possession of a controlled substance and a single count of criminal conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance.</p><p>Rackley was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance.</p><p>Phelps was charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.</p><p>Simmonds was charged with criminal conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance.</p><p>The four were arraigned by District Judge Richard Cronauer in Luzerne County Central Court on Thursday.</p><p>Abend was jailed at the county correctional facility for lack of $50,000 bail, Phelps and Simmonds were jailed for lack of $25,000 bail each, and Rackley was jailed for lack of $10,000 bail.</p><p>Despite the close proximity to the high school, the state Supreme Court in 2015 struck down mandatory sentences related to the delivery, trafficking and selling of illegal narcotics within 1,000 feet of a school, college, recreational center or playground.</p><p>Prior to the appellate court&#8217;s ruling, those convicted of trafficking drugs in a school zone faced a mandatory two-year prison sentence.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/web1_Hanover-drugs-04242019-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Four people used a house across from Hanover Area Jr./Sr. High School to peddle crack cocaine, authorities allege. This is some of what police say they seized. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/web1_Hanover-drugs-04242019-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Four people used a house across from Hanover Area Jr./Sr. High School to peddle crack cocaine, authorities allege. This is some of what police say they seized. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/web1_Judith-Rackley-04252019-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Rackley </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/web1_Judith-Rackley-04252019-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Rackley </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/web1_Lascelles-Simmonds-04252019-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Phelps </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/web1_Lascelles-Simmonds-04252019-1.jpg</photo2><caption2>Phelps </caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/web1_Keyshawn-Phelps-04252019-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Simmonds </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/web1_Keyshawn-Phelps-04252019-1.jpg</photo3><caption3>Simmonds </caption3><photoCredit3></photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/web1_Louis-Abend-04252019-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Abend </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/web1_Louis-Abend-04252019-1.jpg</photo4><caption4>Abend </caption4><photoCredit4></photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Four arrested in drug raid across from Hanover Area High School