The 49-year-old defendant was the final of six men, charged in the million-dollar operation back in late October, to waive his charges to Northampton County Court.
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Johnny "Amigo" Constanza
Johnny "Amigo" Constanza, 49, of Allentown, appeared in a brown prison jump suit today before District Judge Joseph Barner for a preliminary hearing on drug-related charges stemming from the Oct. 24 bust. The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office investigated the alleged meth ring for about a year before making the arrests, police report.
State agents said the operation distributed more than a pound of meth -- worth about $90,000 -- every week.
Constanza was the final of six defendants to face a preliminary hearing in the case.
Anthony "Skinny" Serratore, 35, of Bethlehem; Edward "Eddie" Pope Jr., 34, of Easton; Michael Corby, 43, of Wind Gap; Robert Thornton Jr., 28, of Bethlehem; and William Lavenburg, 35, of Wind Gap, have all already waived their charges to Northampton County Court, according to court documents.
Constanza was accompanied in court today by a large crowd of family and friends, some of them crying and wiping away tears before the proceedings began.
Constanza's attorney Joshua Karoly said his client was willing to waive all charges to the county level with the understanding of a plea deal for in the near future.
Deputy Attorney General Michael Dugan confirmed that the state was willing to do what they could to make sure Constanza's minimum time in prison does not exceed five years. The judge who sentences Constanza will have the final say on the what kind of time the Allentown man spends behind bars.
"That's contingent upon the defendant entering a guilty plea," Dugan said in court today.
Constanza is accused of three felony-grade offenses. They include possession with the intent to deliver methamphetamine, conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance. He was also charged with operation of a corrupt organization, criminal use of a communication facility and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities.
In late 2009, Constanza began giving Serratore, who was a regular patron at a barbershop where Constanza worked, about 2 to 10 ounces of crystal meth a week to sell, according to a grand jury report. Serratore, in turn, sold the drug to Pope, Corby, Thornton and Lavenburg, among others, documents say.
Over the course of the investigation, agents seized about a half-pound of crystal meth, $26,000 in cash and a dozen firearms, officials said. State agents are tracing the source of the meth and investigating users, officials said. Additional arrests are anticipated.