Seven Drug Raid Defendants Sentenced

Aly Delp

Aly Delp

Published May 23, 2019 4:31 am
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CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — Seven individuals arrested in a drug raid in Clarion last October were sentenced yesterday.

President Judge James Arner sentenced the following individuals on Wednesday, May 22, in the Clarion County Court of Common Pleas:

– 22-year-old Benjamin Cyphert, of Clarion;
– 47-year-old Jody Master, of Strattanville;
– 56-year-old John Kristakis, of Clarion;
– 31-year-old Nicole Torchia, of Clarion;
– 24-year-old Tasha Rigetta, of Clarion;
– 25-year-old Jamie Bailey, of Clarion; and
– 52-year-old Mark Suto, of Ambridge.

Benjamin Cyphert

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Judge Arner sentenced Cyphert on a felony count of Conspiracy to Deliver Morphine.

Cyphert was ordered to five years in the Intermediate Punishment Program, which includes participation in Treatment Court and being on electronic monitoring for 12 months. The remainder of his sentence will be served on probation.

Court documents indicate Cyphert pleaded guilty to the above-listed charge on April 24, 2019.

As a result of the plea negotiation, the following charges were dismissed:

  • Conspiracy to Deliver Marijuana, Felony (two counts)
  • Delivery of Marijuana, Felony
  • Possession of Controlled Substance, Misdemeanor
  • Possession of Paraphernalia, Misdemeanor
  • Criminal Use of Communication, Felony 3 (two counts)

Jody Master

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Master was sentenced on a misdemeanor count of Intentional Possession of a Controlled Substance.

She was ordered to one year of probation.

Court documents indicate Master pleaded no contest to the above-listed charge on April 24, 2019.

As a result of the plea agreement, the following charges were dismissed:

  • Delivery of Suboxone Strips, Felony
  • Conspiracy to Deliver Suboxone, Felony

John Kristakis

kristakis

Kristakis was sentenced on a felony count of Delivery of Vyvanse.

He was ordered to a minimum of three months to a maximum of two years less one day, with credit for 11 days served, in the Clarion County Jail.

Court documents indicate Kristakis pleaded no contest to the above-listed charge on April 24, 2019.

As a result of the plea negotiation, the following charges were dismissed:

  • Delivery of Vyvanse, Felony
  • Delivery of Adderall, Felony
  • Possession of Controlled Substance, Misdemeanor (four counts)
  • Possession of Paraphernalia, Misdemeanor (three counts)
  • Criminal Use of Communication, Felony 3 (three counts)

He remains lodged in the Clarion County Jail.

Nicole Torchia

nicole

Torchia was sentenced on two felony counts of Delivery of Clonazepam.

She was ordered to two years of probation.

Court documents indicate Torchia pleaded guilty to the above-listed charge on April 24, 2019.

As a result of the plea agreement, the following charges were dismissed:

  • Delivery of Clonazepam, Felony
  • Criminal Conspiracy, Felony
  • Possession of Controlled Substance, Misdemeanor (three counts)
  • Possession of Paraphernalia, Misdemeanor (three counts)
  • Criminal Use of Communication, Felony 3 (three counts)

Tasha Rigetta

rigatti

Rigetta pleaded guilty to one felony count of Delivery of Morphine on April 24, 2019, and was recommended for Behavioral Health Court.

Judge Arner noted Rigetta will be sentenced following her successful completion of the Behavioral Health Court program, and the charge will be modified to two misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance.

As a result of her plea agreement, the following charges will be dismissed:

  • Conspiracy to Deliver, Felony
  • Possession of Controlled Substance, Misdemeanor

Jamie Bailey

Jamie

Bailey was sentenced to a minimum of six months to a maximum of two years less one day confinement in the Clarion County Jail on a felony count of Delivery of Suboxone.

Court documents indicate Bailey pleaded guilty to the charge on April 24, 2019.

As a result of the plea agreement, the following charges were dismissed:

  • Delivery of Suboxone, Felony (two counts)
  • Criminal Conspiracy, Felony
  • Possession of Controlled Substance, Misdemeanor (three counts)
  • Possession of Paraphernalia, Misdemeanor (two counts)
  • Criminal Use of Communication, Felony 3 (three counts)

She remains lodged in the Clarion County Jail.

Mark Suto

Suto was sentenced to one year of probation on a felony count of Conspiracy to Deliver Tramadol.

Judge Arner noted the sentence was mitigated based on his need for rehabilitation and supervision, as he is currently in an inpatient rehabilitation program. Suto will be required to complete this program as part of the terms of his sentence.

Court documents indicate Suto pleaded guilty to the charge on March 27, 2019.

As a result of the plea agreement, the following charges were dismissed.

  • Delivery of Tramadol, Felony
  • Possession of Controlled Substance, Misdemeanor

Details of the cases:

Clarion County Narcotics Enforcement Team (CNET) filed charges and issued arrest warrants for eleven people in a drug raid on October 12, 2018.

Clarion County District Attorney Mark Aaron said the raid focused primarily on street-level drug dealers.

“Today’s activities were the culmination of an over year-long investigation by CNET in cooperation with the state police and other county law enforcement agencies,” said District Attorney Aaron.

Clarion County Chief Detective William H. Peck, IV, told exploreClarion.com that many of the arrests were related to the illegal sale of prescription drugs.

“We are seeing an uptick of illegal prescription drug sales,” said Peck. “A lot of today’s arrests are based on those types of suspects.”

“If you’re going to sell medication, we’re going to hold you accountable.”

Clarion-based State Police, the Clarion County Sheriff’s Office, Clarion Borough Police, Knox Borough Police, and New Bethlehem Borough Police assisted with the investigation.

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