Meadville woman arrested on multiple drug charges

Mike Crowley, The Meadville Tribune, Pa.
·2 min read

Apr. 10—A Meadville woman arrested late Thursday on multiple drug charges also faced hearings in two other drug cases when she was arraigned the next morning.

Brenda Jo Loucks, 25, was arrested around 11:30 p.m. Thursday after she was seen "staggering, swaying and almost falling down" on Church Street near the intersection with Baldwin Street and Park Avenue, according to the criminal complaint filed by city police in the case. Loucks was found in possession of methamphetamine, heroin, a syringe and other drug paraphernalia, police reported. In addition to "red, glassy and bloodshot eyes" with dilated pupils, she was experiencing "uncontrollable movements throughout her body," according to police.

Before she was arraigned on two misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia and a summary count of public drunkenness, Loucks appeared before Magisterial District Judge Samuel Pendolino for two preliminary hearings in separate cases and was held for court in both cases.

In one, city police working with agents from the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General accuse Loucks of selling 0.5 grams of heroin to a confidential informant in the parking lot of Burger King, 817 Park Ave., at 2.26 p.m. Sept. 29.

In the other, police spotted Loucks exiting Quick Stop, 324 Pine St., just after 10 a.m. Nov. 6. when she was wanted based on a warrant for her arrest as a result of the September incident. Loucks was taken into custody without incident, according to police.

Heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana, a scale and other drug paraphernalia were found in a bag she was carrying when she was arrested, according to the probable cause affidavit filed by police in the case.

As a result of the September incident, Loucks faces felony charges of possession with intent to deliver and criminal use of a communication facility and misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was assigned bail of $40,000 in the case, twice the amount that had been set at her preliminary arraignment last month.

In the case stemming from the November incident, Loucks faces two felony counts of possession with intent to deliver, two misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a small amount of marijuana for personal use. She was assigned bail of $20,000 in the case, twice the amount that had been set at her preliminary arraignment last month.

Loucks also faces bail of $10,000 as a result of the incident Thursday on Church Street. She remains in Crawford County jail.

Mike Crowley can be reached at 724-6370 or by email at mcrowley@meadvilletribune.com.