Last man apprehended in drug sweep

MILFORD — Police have arrested the last suspect sought in the recent sweep of alleged heroin and cocaine dealer.

Jonathan Booth, 31, was picked up by officials for his involvement in dealing heroin in Dingman and Delaware Township between November and December 2013, said Pike County District Attorney Raymond Tonkin, who announced the final arrest Thursday morning. He had announced on Jan. 14 that ten people were charged with dealing heroin and cocaine in the county.

Booth is charged with two counts of delivery of a controlled substance and two counts of criminal conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance and is being held in the Pike County Correctional Facility in lieu of $125,000 bail.

According to the criminal complaint, on Nov. 21, 2013, John Joray met with a confidential informant and took him to meet with Booth. Joray had set up a delivery of 8 packets of suspected heroin for $200.

In a separate incident on Dec. 5, 2013, detectives and a confidential informant purchased 50 packets of suspected heroin from Patrick Sullivan and Robert Koetzle for $600. The confidential informant told detectives he had just received a call from John Jory telling the informant that Koetzle planned to rip him off by taking the money and running out a back window into a waiting car. While explaining what was happening, the confidential informant received a call from Booth, wondering where they were because Koetzle had called him. The confidential informant relayed the information he had gotten from Joray, and Booth offered to accompany the informant.

Koetzle then called the informant and again expressed his concerns. Koetzle assured the informant he had his 50 packets, and was telling other people he was out. The confidential informant met with Koetzle and Booth, where Koetzle sold 24 bags of suspected heroin for $300.

Booth has a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Paul Mendito on Tuesday, Jan. 28.

Anyone with information on drug trafficking in Pike County can call the District Attorney’s Office at 570-296-3482 and ask for the Detective Bureau. All calls will be kept confidential.

Pleases see related story, "Ten charged with dealing heroin, cocaine," at http://bit.ly/1irdXSI.