PIKE COUNTY, PA — Pike County District Attorney Ray Tonkin announced today that a jury found Ricky Land, Jr, age 40, guilty of two counts of Possessing a Controlled Substance with the Intent to Deliver, one count of Criminal Conspiracy to Deliver a Controlled Substance, Resisting Arrest and Tampering with Evidence. 

The conviction came after a three-day trial in front a jury of nine women and three men that ended on Friday.  The deliberation for the jury lasted for approximately four hours.  The charges were the result of two different cases involving Land.  The first was an investigation through the Pike County District Attorney’s Office Criminal Investigative Division that involved the sale of controlled substances.  The second case involved a traffic stop by members of the Pennsylvania State Police.

During the trial, the jury heard testimony from Detectives from the District Attorney’s Office that involved undercover controlled buys of various substances including heroin, fentanyl and cocaine from a co-conspirator of Land’s back in 2020 on several different dates which occurred in Shohola, Westfall and Dingman Townships.  While that investigation was still pending, two State Troopers stopped Land on Route 6 in Dingman Township in October of 2020 after noticing him committing several traffic infractions.  After stopping Land, the Troopers noticed him attempting to conceal something with his right hand.  The Troopers then asked Land to step out of his vehicle which immediately upon doing he then began to run away.  As he ran, Land threw a bag full of approximately 109 grams of cocaine into the woods.  Land was tackled by one of the Troopers who in trying to subdue him noticed he was reaching in a pocket.  After Land was tased and placed in handcuffs, the Troopers found a knife in the pocket Land was attempting to access during the struggle.  The Troopers also recovered 48 bags filled with heroin and fentanyl along with $2,250 in cash.  Part of the testimony at trial involved a member of the Pennsylvania State Police Vice Unit who testified that the cocaine had a street value of approximately $11,000.  

First Assistant District Attorney Bruce DeSarro who prosecuted the case stated, “the work of the State Troopers in this case was exemplary and a reminder how a simple traffic stop can turn into something much worse in a very short amount of time.”  DeSarro also stated that he was very satisfied with the verdict and thanked the jury for their careful consideration of the cases.  District Attorney Ray Tonkin stated, “this serves as another example that law enforcement in Pike County is committed to holding drug dealers accountable to the fullest extent our law provides”.

At the conclusion of the trial, upon DeSarro’s request, Pike County Court of Common Pleas President Judge Gregory Chelak revoked Land’s bail although he had already been in custody on $100,000 and $300,000 bail for each of the respective cases.  In making the request to revoke his bail, DeSarro noted Land’s prior conviction for Attempted Murder which occurred in Port Jervis, New York.  During that incident, Land was charged with stabbing and slicing a taxi driver with a knife.  Land will remain in the Pike County Correctional Facility pending his sentencing.