Man arrested for bath salts
HAZLETON - A Frackville man who told police he ran a website selling bath salts is in jail after a tip led police to a stockpile of synthetic drugs allegedly found in the man's Hazle Twp. motel room early Sunday.
Brett Lee Blankenbiller, 43, of Second Street, was charged by state police at Hazleton with one felony count of manufacture, possession or delivery with intent to manufacture or deliver and misdemeanor charges for possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Mr. Blankenbiller was arrested Sunday morning after troopers received information during a traffic stop that Mr. Blankenbiller was in possession of a "large quantity" of the synthetic narcotics known as bath salts in Room 20 at the Penn Terrace Motel, 1880 E. Broad St., Hazle Twp., court papers said.
About 6:45 a.m. Sunday, troopers went to the motel to investigate the claim and found out from the motel owner that the room was registered to Mr. Blankenbiller.
Police went to the room and found Mr. Blankenbiller inside with a backpack filled with alleged synthetic drugs. Police said he had two large U.S. Postal Service envelopes. One contained 45 plastic screw-top containers labeled "White Girls Massage Powder," while the second contained 13 plastic screw-top containers labeled "Diamond Dust," court papers said.
He also had 235 paper and foil packets containing powders and pills with various labels indicative of synthetic stimulants and two freezer bags that contained bulk bath salts, police wrote.
Mr. Blankenbiller said the bath salts weren't illegal because the formula is new and hasn't been banned yet, court papers said.
While at the police station, he allegedly told troopers he runs and maintains a website where the bath salts in his possession were listed for sale.
He was arraigned Sunday afternoon and remains in Luzerne County Correctional Facility in lieu of $75,000. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 16.
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