An Ohio man faces additional drug delivery and corrupt organization charges, along with three Bucks County residents, in connection with what police said appears to be a trafficking operation.
The arrests follow an investigation initiated after Thomas Weaver, 49, of Northwood, Ohio, was arrested and charged with felony drug delivery last month after authorities say he picked up a package with seven pounds of marijuana that was delivered to a Langhorne home.
Langhorne police and Bucks County detectives set up surveillance of a home in the 100 block of National Avenue on Nov. 20 after the U.S. Postal Inspection Service alerted authorities that the package was scheduled to be delivered there. Postal inspectors said the package was shipped from California and the sender’s name on the return address was false, according to court documents.
Authorities arrested Weaver after he was seen picking up the package and bringing it into the home, according to police. Weaver denied any involvement in the drug shipment, saying he stopped at the home where the package was delivered to check his GPS device, according to court documents.
Police obtained a search warrant for the National Avenue home and found the package — marked “Return to Sender” — on the enclosed front porch, the affidavit said. They also found marijuana and hashish, digital scales and packaging materials they said are associated with drugs in the home.
After Weaver was arrested, Bucks County detectives spoke with the homeowner, Carol Silcox, 58, and with Harry Schmitz, 53, a Silcox friend who stays at the home. Both admitted they were aware of the drug trafficking and claimed a third man — Harold “Joe” Osborne Jr., 46, of Upper Southampton — was behind it, according to court documents.
Silcox told detectives Osborne asked last year if he could use her home to have packages delivered. She agreed and said five to six shipments were made to her National Avenue home, and Osborne paid her $300 to $500 for each, a probable cause affidavit said. She admitting knowing a package for Osborne was scheduled for delivery to her home on Nov. 20, court documents said.
A few months ago, Osborne introduced Silcox to Thomas Weaver, who said he’d pick up the packages from his temporary residence in Holland, according to authorities.
Schmitz said Osborne also would leave marijuana at the National Avenue home for him or let him buy discounted pot because of the package-delivery deal.
Authorities went to the Holland home and saw a Jeep with an Ohio license plate parked near the driveway; the vehicle was registered to Weaver. Neighbors told police the couple who lived there had been gone for months, but that they had seen Weaver living in the house and maintaining the property, according to court documents.
Police executed a search warrant on the Holland home and found evidence of marijuana trafficking, including marijuana, hashish, packaging materials, money, and other equipment associated with drug delivery. The hashish confiscated was similar to the drugs found in the National Avenue home, they said. The drug materials in the Holland home appeared similar to what was found in the National Avenue package, police said.
District Judge Daniel Baranoski notified Weaver in a letter Friday that his criminal complaint has been amended to include additional charges, including felony drug delivery, corrupt organizations, and related offenses. He remains incarcerated in Bucks County prison in lieu of 10 percent of $75,000 bail
Silcox and Schmitz were arraigned before Baranoski Friday on charges of felony drug delivery, conspiracy, corrupt organizations and criminal use of a communication facility. They were both released on $2,500 unsecured bail. An arrest warrant has been issued for Osborne for the same charges as Silcox and Schmitz, according to court officials.
Jo Ciavaglia: 215-949-4181; email: jciavaglia@calkins.com; Twitter: @jociavaglia
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