A Pottsville man faces time in state prison after a Schuylkill County jury convicted him Wednesday of two sets of drug-related charges.
William P. Sonnon, 42, did not react after the jury of seven women and five men pronounced him guilty of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia in one case and conspiracy, delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance in the other case.
Jurors deliberated approximately one hour before rendering their verdict.
Judge James P. Goodman, who presided over the one-day trial, ordered preparation of a presentence investigation and said he would schedule sentencing at a later date. He allowed Sonnon to remain free on $20,000 straight cash bail in one case and $20,000 percentage bail in the other.
“You make sure you show up for your sentencing,” Goodman warned Sonnon.
Pottsville police charged Sonnon in connection with a controlled drug buy and a subsequent search of his residence, both on March 23, 2015.
Police said Sonnon supplied methamphetamine that was sold by Justin Michael Kayal to a confidential informant for $50 at 142 W. Railroad St. Police said they obtained a search warrant for Sonnon’s 144 W. Railroad St. residence, where they found more meth, along with numerous items of drug paraphernalia.
“We searched every area that we could,” Patrolman Paul R. Olson said.
Olson also testified he watched both 142 and 144 W. Railroad St. while the buy occurred inside.
Kayal said he relayed the bag containing the meth to the confidential informant from Sonnon. Both Kayal and the confidential informant said they had charges pending against them.
Detective Joseph R. Welsh testified he found baggies, razors and a straw in Sonnon’s residence, and other city police officers testified they found evidence at the scene.
In her closing argument, Julie A. Werdt, Orwigsburg, Sonnon’s lawyer, said prosecutors had raised more questions than they had answered. She said they had not accounted for a couple people present at Sonnon’s residence and that all they had proven was that her client was guilty of possessing meth for his own use.
“They didn’t find any drugs” except on Sonnon’s person and traces on a mirror, Werdt said. “There were a lot of people in that house.”
She emphasized the only evidence against Sonnon on the conspiracy and delivery charges was from Kayal, whom she called a “corrupt and polluted source.”
However, jurors accepted the closing argument of Deputy Assistant District Attorney Robert I. Lipkin, who said the issues were pretty simple.
Police saw the confidential informant enter the house with money and emerge from it with meth, he said.
Furthermore, Sonnon had packaging material, which someone would not need if the drugs were for personal use, Lipkin said. He noted that the black bag containing the meth given to the confidential informant matched one found in Sonnon’s residence.
“The commonwealth has given you enough evidence” to convict Sonnon of all charges, Lipkin said.