Charges were held over for court Thursday against three New York City men whom Pottsville police arrested for allegedly luring two teenage girls into their vehicle in the city's downtown on Nov. 5.
Following preliminary hearings before Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Mohammed R. Khan, 20, of 237 E. 194th St., Bronx; Victor Declet, 21, of 2676 Grand Concourse, Bronx; and Nestor M. Hernandez, 30, of 846 Madison St., Brooklyn, were returned to Schuylkill County Prison where they are being held since the time of their arrest.
Pottsville police Sgt. James Joos charged each of the men with two felony counts each of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and unlawful restraint and two misdemeanor counts each of possession of a controlled substance, luring a child into a vehicle and corruption of minors; and a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
In addition, Declet, the driver of the car, was charged with failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.
Reiley determined prosecutors proved a prima facie case and ordered all charges against each of the men held for Schuylkill County Court.
In his criminal complaint, Joos said the incident came to light when he saw a car with a Virginia registration turn from North Third Street onto Laurel Boulevard and almost hit a pedestrian who was halfway across the street in a marked crosswalk.
Joos said he pulled the vehicle over and found two men in the front and two girls and a man in the back seat. The girls, he said, appeared young and both were frightened.
After seeing a bottle of alcohol in plain view, a liquor violation, Joos said he ordered the girls to get out of the car and stand by his cruiser.
Once separated from the men, Joos said the girls began crying and said they were 14 and 15 years old and that the three men forced them into their car.
After being told there may be another person in the trunk of the vehicle, Joos said officers opened the trunk and found 22 individual clear plastic bags containing marijuana and one clear bag containing a white powder determined to be cocaine.
After the men were taken into custody, the girls were interviewed and said they were standing in front of the Cash and Trade Pawn Shop, 16 N. Centre St., when Khan and Declet approached them.
The girls said the men told them how beautiful they were and asked them to come and "party" but they both refused.
After the girls were pushed into the car, Joos said Declet then got into the driver's seat, locked the doors and told the girls they were taking them to their "crib."
Joos said Khan told Declet "I like this one" referring to the 14-year-old and Declet said "I like both of them."