By MARISSA DECHANT
Staff writer
An Ohio woman accused of trafficking large amounts of methamphetamine to the Oil City and Sugarcreek areas waived her preliminary hearing Wednesday in Venango County Central Court.
Deidra Cunningham, 26, of Kenmore, Ohio, was charged with three felony counts of manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver, one count of criminal conspiracy – manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver, one count of criminal use of a communication facility, one count of person not to possess/use firearm and one count of firearms not to be carried without a license.
Oil City police said they discovered Cunningham’s dealings as they were conducting a missing person investigation for Daniel Kulling, 34, of Oil City. Kulling has been missing since he was last seen leaving a Siverly residence on Dec. 23, police have said.
Further investigation revealed that Cunningham stole a .380 caliber firearm from William Fry Jr., 32, while at his Hoffman Avenue residence in Oil City, police said. Multiple witnesses corroborated Cunningham being in possession of the firearm, which she is prohibited from having based on prior felony drug convictions in Ohio, according to police.
When Oil City and Sugarcreek police and agents of Pennsylvania Probation and Parole served a warrant on Cunningham at Knights Inn in Sugarcreek, she was found with Timothy Geiger, 29, of Oil City, who was wanted for violating probation and parole, police said.
Geiger waived his preliminary hearing in the case last week. He was charged with misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and two counts of use/possession of drug paraphernalia.
Cunningham was scheduled to reappear in court next week for her preliminary hearing on additional drug charges filed this week, but those charges have been withdrawn.
Police had allegedly found drugs and related paraphernalia in Cunningham’s possession during her initial arrest at the Knights Inn, according to a criminal complaint filed through district judge Andrew Fish’s office.
The items reportedly included methamphetamine, crack cocaine and a digital tablet used to facilitate drug transactions, the complaint said.
Oil City police said an investigation found that Geiger had broken into a Murray Street residence around Aug. 20 and removed an air conditioner, two televisions, two video game consoles, a mountain bike and several other items.
Fish ruled that all those charges be bound over for further proceedings in the Court of Common Pleas. Geiger is charged with felony counts of burglary and criminal trespass and misdemeanor counts of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.
Both Geiger and Cunningham remain in the Venango County jail. Bail is set at $50,000 each.
