Police: NCC Student Sold Marijuana Out of Dorm Room

A Northampton Community College student from York County, Pa., has been evicted from the college’s residence hall after he admitted to selling marijuana -- for 10 to 15 regular customers -- out of his room.

During an early-morning search of 20-year-old Andrew J. Arnold’s dorm room, court records say, Bethlehem Township police found more than 100 grams of suspected marijuana, four marijuana-smoking devices, sandwich baggies used to package marijuana, $176 and a small scale.

Arnold, who hails from Felton Borough, was arraigned Wednesday morning before District Judge Joseph Barner of Lower Nazareth Township and charged with one count each of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance, and four counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Arnold was released from Northampton County Prison after posting 10 percent of $5,000 bail.

According to Heidi Butler, NCC’s director of public information, possession of controlled, illegal or dangerous substances is prohibited on campus. Allegations of this type generally result in an interim suspension, which would prohibit the student in question from attending classes or participating in classroom activities.

In an e-mail to Patch late Wednesday, Butler said the school had issued Arnold an interim suspension.

According to a police criminal complaint:

Around 12:15 a.m. Wednesday, Bethlehem Township police were called to the NCC campus, 3835 Green Pond Road, for a narcotics complaint.

The college’s campus security explained that it had received complaints of a marijuana odor wafting through the second floor of the residence hall. NCC’s residence hall consists of two buildings connected by a common area, according to www.northampton.edu. 

Campus security determined the odor was coming from Room 213, and escorted two Bethlehem Township police officers to the residence hall.

A sergeant with NCC’s campus security told police she spoke to Arnold and he handed over a baggie that contained a green vegetable matter -- suspected marijuana -- a brown pipe with burnt residue and a digital scale with an unspecified type of residue.

The sergeant added that there were suspicions that illegal sales of narcotics were “originating from the area of Room 213.”

Back at the Bethlehem Township police station, Arnold admitted that the items given to campus security belonged to him. However, he claimed the marijuana was for personal use and he used the scale to weigh the marijuana he purchased from his dealer. He denied selling marijuana.

During the interview, Officer Troy Abelovsky requested permission to search Arnold’s room at NCC, which Arnold granted. 

Campus security was present when officers conducted the search and found a large bundle of suspected marijuana -- believed to be more than 100 grams -- three glass pipes, sandwich baggies, $176 and a small scale.

When officers returned to the police station, Arnold asked to speak to Abelovsky.

During a second interview, Arnold admitted to selling marijuana out of his room and having 10 to 15 regular customers. He added that he purchased the large bundle of marijuana for $1,000.