More Than 100 Stamp Bags of Heroin Seized During Traffic Stop

Two Canonsburg men are in Washington County Jail after a traffic stop in the borough early Tuesday morning yielded 148 stamp bags of heroin.

Police charged Jesse G. Lewandowski, 27, and Corwin Frederick Riedel, 31, with possession of drugs, possession of paraphernalia and possession with intent to deliver after Canonsburg officers stopped the vehicle they were driving.

According to a criminal complaint, Lewandoski failed to stop at a red light on Adams Avenue, at which time officers stopped the car.

The officer noted that the man “was nervous and shaking his hands very fast” and that the passenger, Riedel, “grabbed items from a brown bag and shoved them into his pants area.”

When Sgt. Chuck Tenny later patted Riedel down, the bag—which contained several stamp bags of heroin—fell out of his pants. Another bag containing more packets of heroin was discovered in the man’s right pants pocket, the complaint indicates.

Officers found a glass pipe in the side of the driver’s seat. Police also discovered a syringe and another glass pipe with suspected crack residue hidden in a plastic panel near the passenger-side door.

Both Lewandowski and Riedel were arraigned before district Judge David Mark and placed in Washington County Jail, where they remained Wednesday afternoon.

Reached Wednesday, Tenny lauded the vigilance of the officers he works with, and said it wouldn’t be possible without the leadership of police Chief R.T. Bell and Mayor David H. Rhome—both of whom he said encourage the department to be proactive with drug enforcement investigations in the borough.

“Heroin is the drug of choice right now,” the sergeant said. “It’s cheap and it’s easily accessible.”

Rhome agreed.

“Enough is enough,” the mayor said. “We need to put a stop to this.”

Rhome encouraged anyone who sees suspected drug activity in the borough to call the police at 724-745-8020 or the mayor’s office at 724-745-1800, ext. 16. He said all tips would be strictly confidential.