South Side Raid Has Man Facing Drug Charges

A man who may have shared an Easton address with another man wanted for questioning in a downtown homicide earlier this month is facing charges in connection with a January drug raid.

A criminal complaint against Jeffrey Raymond, 18, arrested in a drug raid, lists his address as “unknown.”

But forms in Raymond’s file concerning his preliminary arraignment, preliminary hearing and bail release conditions list an address of 600 Canal St., Apt. C4, Easton.

This is the same address listed for Miguel Rodriguez, also 18, on a complaint for drunken driving and false identification charges connected to a Feb. 8 traffic stop in the city.

However, a complaint on separate charges of selling heroin lists Rodriguez’s address as 38 S. Howard St., also in the city.

Police said they wanted to talk to Rodriguez about the Feb. 9 shooting death of Damien Robinson at Eddie G’s Bar. Police have said the killing could be related to an argument between members of the Bloods gang. 

Raymond, like Rodriguez, was arraigned early Friday—Raymond at 1:50 a.m., Rodriguez at 2:30 a.m.

Police say they saw Raymond “ingesting” a quantity of marijuana during a raid at 7 a.m. Jan. 11 at 120 N. 15th St. They also accuse Raymond of providing a false identification.

A criminal complaint filed by city Det. Andrew Ocetnik says police found Raymond and two other men in the living room of the N. 15th Street residence. Police also found a quantity of marijuana in the house.

The complant names the other men but does not indicate if they have been charged. Online court records do not show that the men have been charged in connection with the raid.

According to the complaint, Raymond identified himself as “Tariek Badger” with a date of birth of Feb. 12, 1994.

Police said they later learned that “Tariek Badger” is actually Raymond, with a date of birth of June 21, 1994.

In addition to ingesting some marijuana, Raymond is accused of having a “ripped, knotted-off portion of a plastic bag” for packaging marijuana.

Raymond was charged with tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession or distribution of a small amount of marijuana for personal use, and false identification to law enforcement authorities.

He was arraigned by on-duty District Judge Robert Hawke of Lehigh Township and committed to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail.