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KINGSTON — An investigation into a fentanyl trafficking ring operating in the Kingston and Wilkes-Barre areas resulted in four arrests on Tuesday afternoon.

The Kingston and Wilkes-Barre City police departments, in conjunction with the Luzerne County Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, executed a pair of search warrants at apartments on Dana Street in Wilkes-Barre and Pierce Street in Kingston.

Amanda Andes, 31, of Plymouth; Lee Crawford, 59, of Kingston; William Smith, 29, of Mountain Top; and John Williams, 40, of Kingston were taken into custody and arraigned on Tuesday at the Kingston Municipal Police Department headquarters.

A press release issued by Kingston police indicates that officers conducted a number of controlled purchases from members of the fentanyl ring over the past two months.

Kingston detective Edward Palka said that it is alleged that Crawford would obtain the fentanyl from the Philadelphia area, and bring it back up to Luzerne County to be distributed and sold.

Detectives set up a controlled purchase from Crawford on Jan. 7, 2021 at an unspecified location in Edwardsville. Under the direction of the task force, a criminal informant met with Crawford at the location, and returned to the officer’s car a short time later with a plastic bag of fentanyl.

Over the next few weeks, detectives would conduct five more controlled purchases from Crawford at locations in Kingston, Wilkes-Barre and Wilkes-Barre Township. Detectives also make purchases from Smith on Jan. 25 and Jan. 28, and a controlled purchase from Williams on Jan. 29 at an apartment on Pierce Street.

All of the fentanyl obtained through these controlled purchases will be sent to the Pennsylvania State Police crime lab, according to the complaint.

The two search warrants executed on Tuesday resulted in the seizure of an estimated 600 bags of fentanyl, drug paraphernalia and over $2,800 in cash.

While executing the Pierce Street search warrant, officers discovered Andes along with two other individuals in the apartment.

In Andes’ room, officers located 27 bags of fentanyl along with two bags of crystal methamphetamine. She was transported to Kingston police headquarters, where she consented to a video interview and admitted to possessing the fentanyl with the intent of selling it to other people.

All four suspects are facing felony charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver: Crawford was charged with 12 counts, Smith with four counts, Williams with two counts and Andes with one count. In addition, three of the four suspects are facing charges of criminal use of a communications facility, with Crawford arraigned on six counts, Smith on two counts and Williams on one count.

Andes was charged with misdemeanor intentional possession of a controlled substance, as well.

The arraignment was carried out by Magisterial District Judge Joseph Carmody.

Crawford’s bail was set at $200,000, while Andes and Smith had bail set at $100,000 and Williams’ bail was set at $50,000. All four of the accused individuals were transported from Kingston police headquarters to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of bail.

A preliminary hearing for the four suspects is set for Feb. 24.

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Fentanyl ring bust leads to 4 arrests