3 pounds of pot found in probe

FORTY FORT — Police investigating a woman’s screams for help allegedly discovered several pounds of marijuana, four tanks of nitrous oxide, nearly $6,000 and contraband inside 25 Ransom St.

Two tenants of the house, Lauren Ann McDermott, 30, and William F. Clarke, 27, were arraigned Monday morning on drug offenses and each released on $10,000 unsecured bail. They face additional drug charges, police said.

Police said the amount of marijuana was one of the largest seizures in the West Side borough.

Officer Peter Lakkis said he responded to the house after a neighbor called 911 just before 12 a.m. Monday. The neighbor reported hearing a woman screaming for help.

“As soon as I walked onto the porch, I detected a strong odor of burnt marijuana and a woman screaming,” Lakkis said.

Lakkis said he entered the house upon hearing the screams and spotted marijuana, a marijuana cigarette, a grinder and a scale on a table and packaged marijuana and plastic sandwich bags on the first floor.

McDermott and Clarke emerged, telling police they were arguing and items were smashed.

Police obtained a search warrant signed by District Judge Rick Cronauer in Wilkes-Barre that led to the discovery of three pounds of marijuana, nitrous-oxide tanks, a large smoking bong and about $6,000, according to the inventory receipt.

Clarke had $1,567 on him when he was arrested, police said. He told police the marijuana belonged to him, while McDermott said she owned the marijuana, arrest records say.

Police allege in arrest records that McDermott claimed Clarke sold marijuana to his friends.

Police said the house that was used to package marijuana is within a school zone.

A neighbor retrieving a newspaper from her porch on Ransom Street on Monday morning said she was not surprised that marijuana was found inside the house.

“There was always people going into that house,” said the neighbor, who requested anonymity. “I’m not shocked that they got arrested. We suspected something was going on over there.”

McDermott and Clarke were each charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, conspiracy with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Preliminary hearings are scheduled for March 28.