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LISBON -- A Connecticut woman who allegedly arranged a sex-for-hire meeting and drug sale in East Palestine appeared for arraignment Thursday, along with the driver and another occupant of the vehicle stopped by East Palestine police on Wednesday.
The stop on East Taggart Street resulted in the seizure of crack cocaine, heroin, numerous hypodermic syringes, glass vials containing suspected drugs and $859 in cash.
In a press release, East Palestine Police Chief James C. Brown III said the cases against the three Connecticut residents remain pending, with additional charges pending lab testing and results. All three are in the county jail under bonds of $25,000 cash or surety awaiting preliminary/pretrial hearings scheduled on Dec. 15.
Tanya M. Labarge, 36, Old Saybrook, Conn., who was accused of making all the arrangements, was charged with tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony, and misdemeanors of possessing criminal tools, possession of drug abuse instruments, soliciting and possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to an affidavit in the court documents, Labarge allegedly posted an ad on a known escort website offering sex for hire and narcotics, arranging to visit an undercover Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force agent in East Palestine for sexual activity in exchange for $600 and also offering to sell the agent cocaine for $100.
Labarge arrived in a vehicle driven by a male and occupied by another female who allegedly had heroin in her possession. Labarge allegedly had a methamphetamine pipe and numerous hypodermic syringes in her possession, along with three baggies of marijuana and a baggie of crack cocaine found concealed in her body during booking at the jail. A mobile device in her possession allegedly confirmed she made the arrangements.
The female passenger, Melanie McCormack, 41, Plantsville, Conn., was charged with trafficking in drugs, a fourth-degree felony, for allegedly possessing four bindles containing 15 to 20 individual packets of heroin per bindle.
The driver, Tyshawn Adams, 43, Middletown, Conn., was charged with promoting prostitution, a fourth-degree felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor for allegedly driving Labarge and McCormack to the arranged meeting with the undercover agent. He allegedly possessed a digital scale with residue, along with cash.
mgreier@mojonews.com