CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — A Clarion man is facing felony drug charges following an investigation into the distribution of heroin from his residence.
Court documents indicate the Clarion Borough Police Department filed criminal charges against 25-year-old Eddie Clyde Braxton IV, of Clarion.
According to a criminal complaint, around 3:17 p.m. on Sunday, April 8, the Clarion Borough Police Department was dispatched to a residence on Penn Avenue in Clarion for an overdose victim in progress.
Officer Wright responded to the residence and found the tenant, a known female, giving CPR to a known male. Clarion Hospital EMS arrived at the same time as Officer Wright and administered Narcan twice to the victim. The Narcan reversed the effects of the substance the victim had ingested, and he became responsive. The victim stated that he “ingested a lot of heroin,” the complaint states.
The victim was then transported to the Clarion Hospital Emergency Room by ambulance.
Officer Wright interviewed the known female at the scene. She stated that she was in the living room while the victim was in the kitchen with two other men -later identified as Eddie C. Braxton IV and another known male. She said that she heard the two men say “call 9-1-1” and then heard a “thud.” She told Officer Wright that she went into the kitchen and found the victim blue-grayish and unresponsive with a weak pulse, so she started CPR. She said she tried to get Braxton and the other known man to call 9-1-1, but they would not, and they left. She also stated that the other known man said to tell the paramedics that he needed Narcan, according to the complaint.
The female tenant gave Officer Wright consent to search the apartment. Officer Wright seized four empty green stamp bags, a spoon, and a needle wrapper at the residence from the garbage in the kitchen.
On Tuesday, April 10, the known man who had been with Braxton reported to the Clarion County Adult Probation office for an appointment with his probation officer. The known man made statements to the probation officer referencing the victim’s overdose. The probation officer then contacted Clarion Borough Police Chief Peck, who then proceeded to the Adult Probation office to interview the known man.
The known man stated that on Sunday, April 8, he was at the victim’s apartment, drinking whiskey with the victim. He said that Braxton showed up at the residence, and the victim asked Braxton if he could get him some dope. He told Chief Peck that the victim gave Braxton $60.00 cash, and he gave Braxton $50.00 cash. Then, Braxton left the apartment and returned approximately ten minutes later with six green stamp bags of heroin for the victim and another five stamp bags for him.
The man said that the victim injected four bags, and within several minutes he became unresponsive. He said they put the victim on the floor and started CPR until the female tenant took over, then he left the residence because he did not want to go to jail.
The man also told Chief Peck that on Monday, April 9, between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., he went to Braxton’s residence on Sheridan Road in Clarion, where he went into Braxton’s bedroom on the second floor and purchased 12 bags of heroin from Braxton with $120.00 in cash. He said he purchased drugs from Braxton four or five times within the past two or three days, most of which occurred at Braxton’s residence on Sheridan Road. He also said that within the last few days, he has also purchased cocaine, “molly,” and marijuana from Braxton, according to the complaint.
A search warrant for the residence was granted, and at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 11, Clarion Borough Police, Pennsylvania State Police Troop C Vice Unit, and Clarion-based State troopers served the warrant at Braxton’s residence.
According to the complaint, upon entry into the residence, Braxton was observed by Officer Kemmer hanging out of the second story front window, throwing objects out of the window. Officer Kemmer recovered stamp baggies of heroin and needles that Braxton discarded out the window. Within a minute, Chief Peck and state police troopers located Braxton in a bedroom on the second floor and the front bedroom window was open.
Braxton was taken into custody, and the Clarion Borough Police conducted a search of his bedroom, seizing the following items: 70 empty green stamp bags (same as the one seized at the scene of the overdose victim), needles, and two spoons with drug residue, the complaint states.
Braxton was arraigned at 3:50 p.m. on Wednesday, April 11, in Magisterial District Judge Duane L. Quinn’s office on the following charges:
– Manufacture, Delivery, or Possession With Intent to Manufacture or Deliver, Felony (three counts)
– Intentional Possession Controlled Substance By Person Not Registered, Misdemeanor (two counts)
– Use/Possession Of Drug Paraphernalia, Misdemeanor
– Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Misdemeanor 2
Unable to post $25,000.00 cash bail, he was lodged in the Clarion County Jail.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 17, with Judge Quinn presiding.
