By Mark Gilger
The News-Item
SUNBURY — A Northumberland County prison guard was placed on administrative leave without pay after being charged Tuesday afternoon in connection with the distribution of tobacco and possibly Spice to inmates.
Joseph Marinelli IV, 21, of 413 N. Maple St., Mount Carmel, is charged by Northumberland County Detective Degg H. Stark with a misdemeanor of obstructing administration of the law.
In his criminal complaint filed at the office of Magisterial District Judge Benjamin Apfelbaum, Stark said seven inmates told him during interviews that Marinelli supplied them with cigarette and smokeless tobacco numerous times between October and January.
Marinelli has worked at the county prison for about two years. He has been transporting prisoners to their court proceedings since a Jan. 14 fire heavily damaged the facility on North Second Street, prompting inmates to be housed at SCI-Coal Township and other jails.
One inmate told Stark he recalled smelling Spice coming from another cell shortly after Marinelli walked away after handing one of the brothers in the cell a rolled-up towel. The inmate described Spice as smoke accompanied by a unique fragrance.
Apfelbaum arraigned Marinelli at about 3:15 p.m. and released him on $7,500 unsecured supervised bail after being told by Stark that the defendant had no prior criminal record and wasn’t a flight risk.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. June 19.
Prison operations commander Brian Wheary, who was present at the arraignment, and Warden Bruce Kovach reserved comment when asked about the charges.
In a press release, District Attorney Ann Targonski said her staff and prison personnel have been conducting an ongoing investigation into guards bringing contraband into the prison. Marinelli’s arrest was the third in connection with the probe.
The charge filed against Marinelli carries a maximum punishment of two years incarceration and/or $5,000 fine.