In Indiana County Court today, an Erie man is scheduled to be sentenced for guilty pleas related to drug activity and holding a woman hostage in July of 2015.
29-year-old Michael Noble II was admitted into the county’s ARD program in April of 2016, but the ARD was rescinded in December, with Judge William Martin reinstating charges of unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, coercion to commit a crime, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, and possession of both a controlled substance and of drug paraphernalia. Noble pleaded guilty to the reckless endangerment charge and possession of drug paraphernalia in exchange for non-prosecution on the other offenses.
The incident occurred when Blairsville Borough police were summoned to an apartment on Reed Avenue for a female reportedly being held against her will. When police arrived, the victim escaped through a back door and Noble ran upstairs. He surrendered after about fifteen minutes and police found a .44 –caliber Glock handgun, heroin, and drug paraphernalia. The police affidavit accused Noble of selling heroin from the woman’s home while she was held captive.
Also in county court, plea court is scheduled for 33-year-old Frank Gardner of Indiana, who has already admitted guilt in six shoplifting cases, and is now ready to plead in two drug cases. Gardner was one of 26 defendants rounded up in a sweep of mid-level drug dealers earlier this year. He is charged with two counts of possession with intent to deliver and conspiracy to the same offense, along with simple possession in cases originating in May and June of 2015. Gardner will be sentenced for the shoplifting cases on December 22nd.
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