Bellefonte man faces heroin charges

A Bellefonte man has been charged with multiple felony counts alleging the distribution of heroin in State College.

According to the criminal complaint filed by State College police, officers received a tip Thursday that Rodney E. Samuels, 32, would be meeting with a woman in Lemont that day to sell her heroin. The source also advised that Samuels would be driving to the meeting and his license was suspended.

Officers located Samuels’ vehicle in Boalsburg, police said, and observed him drive a child to Limerock Terrace at about 11 a.m. The child was dropped off with two females, and officers reportedly followed Samuels to Lemont, where he stopped at a residence for about two minutes before leaving.

Based on the previously given information, police said, the officers believed a drug transaction may have occurred in the residence.

Officers stopped Samuels shortly after along Elmwood Street, police said, where he allegedly admitted immediately that his license was suspended. He reportedly stated he had left his father’s house and dropped off his son with his girlfriend and was on his way back, denying he had made any other stops.

When confronted, he allegedly admitted to meeting the woman in Lemont, saying she “gets a couple of bags a day.” He also reportedly admitted to having drugs on him, handing over a cigarette box containing 94 bags of suspected heroin.

A clear bag of suspected amphetamine was also found in the bottom of the box, police said. The suspected heroin was entered into evidence to be forwarded to the state police regional laboratory for analysis.

Officers returned to Lemont and met with the female resident, police said, who allegedly provided them with five bags of suspected heroin. She reportedly stated she received the bags from “Rodney,” who had just left her house.

The woman also provided officers with text messages between herself and Samuels, police said, indicating she had purchased heroin from him multiple times over several months.

Samuels was interviewed at the police station where he reportedly advised officers that he travels to Williamsport to purchase heroin, police said. He allegedly stated he pays about $4,000 for 40 bundles — at about 10 bags per bundle — and often gets as many as 20 to 40 bundles at a time.

The last time he was in Williamsport was Wednesday, police said, when he purchased about 100 bags.

Samuels was arraigned Friday before District Judge Steven Lachman, according to court documents, and charged with three felony counts of possession with intent, a felony charge of criminal use of a communication facility, three misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia and a summary charge of driving with a suspended license. Straight monetary bail was set at $125,000, and he was taken to the Centre County Correctional Facility.

A preliminary hearing is slated for Wednesday.

This story was originally published August 4, 2017 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Bellefonte man faces heroin charges."