A 34-year-old Norristown mother was arrested on various trafficking and endangerment charges for having her young daughters sell drugs on her behalf, authorities said.
The investigation into Suleyka Santiago began after a confidential informant (CI) told detectives from the Montgomery County Detectives Narcotics Enforcement Team and Norristown police that Santiago had taken over the drug trafficking enterprise of her boyfriend, Kenneth Scott of Norristown, who was arrested on possession with intent to deliver and related charges in October, according to the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office.
At that time, Scott was selling what has been confirmed by lab tests to be counterfeit Oxycodone pills comprised of fentanyl, authorities said.
He remains in Montgomery County Correctional Facility on $100,000 cash bail.
Sometime in June 2021, the CI arranged via Santiago’s cellphone to meet her to purchase 30-milligram Oxycodone pills, the DA’s office said.
The CI was provided with cash to purchase the drugs and drove under surveillance by detectives to the meet location, where, at the direction of Santiago, the CI entered Santiago’s car parked outside of an establishment in Montgomery County, authorities said.
Inside the car, Santiago’s 12-year-old and 14-year-old daughters sold the CI the drugs, the DA’s office said. One of the daughters took the money from the CI, and the other provided them with the pills.
Santiago was inside the establishment during the deal.
The pills purchased by the CI were blue pills, stamped “M30” and are suspected of being fake Oxycodone pills, authorities said. They are undergoing lab testing.
In a second instance, also during June 2021, the CI arranged for another purchase of 30-milligram Oxycodone pills and this time conducted a “hand-to-hand” purchase of the pills with Santiago, the DA’s office said.
The deal occurred outside of the same car being driven by Santiago.
Santiago was arrested and charged with possession with intent to deliver, soliciting minors to traffic drugs, endangering the welfare of children, criminal Use of a communications facility, and related charges.
She was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Andrea Duffy on July 1, and bail was set at $100,000 cash.
Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Garrett D. Page reviewed the bail amount on July 2 and reduced the bail amount to $10,000 unsecured, and Santiago was released on her own recognizance.
A motion for reconsideration of bail was filed on July 6 by the District Attorney’s office.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m., on July 14 before Magisterial District Judge Margaret Hunsicker.
The case will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Evan Correia.
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Tags: Arrests Children Exposed Counterfeit Oxy Drug Trafficking Opioid Crisis
