2 face drug charges after six-month investigation – Times News Online

Published on October 1, 2024, 2:40 p.m

Two people are facing drug charges after police and drug agents executed a search warrant at a home in Lansford early Monday morning.

Kelly M. Vereen, 47, and Wyatt M. Coll, 30, both of Lansford, were charged following a six-month investigation by the Attorney General's Office and the Carbon County Drug Task Force.

District Judge Beth Dodson arraigned Vereen and Coll and set bail at $150,000 and $75,000, respectively. Both are incarcerated at the Carbon County Correctional Facility in Nesquehoning and are unable to post bail.

At 6:17 a.m., officers executed the search warrant at Vereen's home, the rear apartment at 201 E. Bertsch St., and arrested her and another man.

Task force members found methamphetamine, fentanyl and drug paraphernalia with drug residue in a bedroom where Vereen's 10-year-old son was sleeping in bed with her, court documents say.

Officers seized 26.1 grams of fentanyl, 43.42 grams of methamphetamine, 3.4 grams of marijuana and various packaging paraphernalia, including empty bags and a digital scale, from the apartment, court records said.

Vereen told police that she had been selling drugs most of her life, selling about a half-ounce of fentanyl and methamphetamine each week, court records said.

Vereen, who has a criminal record including driving under the influence, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal use of a communications device, told police that Coll and another man would talk to customers and come to her, to get the drugs, court documents say.

During the investigation, drug agents and task force members used confidential informants who identified Vereen as a major fentanyl dealer in the Lansford area, court documents say.

The informants also identified Coll as a person from whom they purchased drugs and who received his supplies from Vereen.

Drug agents and task force members then set up two controlled drug buys in which the informants were provided funds to purchase the drugs and then turn the drugs over to law enforcement.

The first controlled drug purchase occurred in early April, identifying Vereen as the person who delivered the fentanyl to another seller and also verifying Vereen's address, court records say.

The second controlled purchase occurred on September 26, when one of the informants contacted Coll to purchase fentanyl. Coll took money from the informant, went to Vereen's house and then met the informant at another location with the drugs, court records say.

Vereen was charged with four counts of possession of a controlled substance and endangering the welfare of children, all felonies.

Coll was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, conspiracy to possess with intent to deliver and criminal use of a communication facility.