Borough man facing drug, threat charges after March standoff in Shen. Heights
SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS – A South White Street man is facing felony drug and misdemeanor threat charges after a standoff in this West Mahanoy Township village last March.
Trooper Nicholas Reese of the State Police at Frackville filed charges Friday against Joshua D. Taylor, 24, of 128 South White Street for the March 9, 2022 incident.
According to documents filed in Magisterial District Judge Anthony Kilker’s Shenandoah courtroom, Reese said troopers were called to an apartment at 181 Ohio Avenue in Shenandoah Heights around 9:30pm March 9 for a disturbance.
Reese said the incident “escalated and transformed into a barricaded, armed subject,” when Trooper Jordan Mroczka observed Taylor with a firearm in the residence.
The State Police Special Emergency Response Team was activated and responded.
Reese said Taylor used a cell phone to send text messages “indicating he would do harm to police and himself during the incident.”
Taylor exited the residence and was taken into custody without incident prior to SERT entry.
Troopers seized Taylor’s phone and executed a search warrant on the apartment the next day, March 10.
In the apartment, Reese said troopers found a large, gray sentry safe containing a loaded handgun, four plastic bags containing four ounces of marijuana and approximately $380 in cash. Inside an apartment bedroom, they found another plastic bag containing an ounce of marijuana, a digital scale, and approximately $470 in cash.
A subsequent search warrant was executed on the contents of Taylor’s phone. Reese said the contents indicated Taylor “was communicating with drug customers via text message in reference to selling controlled substances.
Taylor is facing felony possession with intent to deliver, misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, terroristic threats, and disorderly conduct charges.
According to online court records, Taylor is set to be arraigned Friday in Shenandoah.
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