BY REGGIE SHEFFIELD
Correspondent
A Susquehanna County couple will have a district court judge determine later this month whether drug and robbery charges against them will be heard in county court, and two others charged in the case have already waived their preliminary hearings and will face trial.
One of the four arrested told state police that the alleged robbery came after the four had spent a frustrating day looking for drugs from an individual known as “Diaper Booty.” But Diaper Booty never showed up.
The four were arrested in the parking lot of the Jessup Township municipal building July 20 by Pennsylvania State Police after receiving a report of the alleged armed robbery on State Route 267 in Choconut Township earlier that day.
One of those arrested, Anastacia Poff Perico, 28, of Montrose, told state police that her husband, Vincent Perico, gave a ride to Joseph Sutton, 27, of New Milford, after Sutton had called to tell him his car had broken down. With Sutton were Cody Beavers, 21, of Susquehanna, and Danny Denault, no age or address given.
“Anastacia Perico indicated that Diaper Booty never showed up so Sutton and Beavers got out of the car to have a drink at the Choconut Inn,” state police Trooper Ryan Kearney wrote in an affidavit on file with the case.
Perico later picked them back up and the group continued their fruitless search for Diaper Booty, later meeting up with Daniel Williams, the alleged victim, sitting at the end of driveway on State Route 267.
There Williams told police that Vincent Perico robbed him of his Samsung cell phone, $180 in cash, his social security card, birth certificate, cigarette case and black leather wallet after an argument over Williams not having enough money for drugs and Perico not giving him a ride.
Susquehanna County Sheriff Deputies later pulled over the black 2003 Ford Escape Perico was driving in the parking lot of the Jessup Township municipal building, where police allege Perico threw the .22 caliber revolver Williams alleged was used in the robbery out of the car window after circling the parking lot in an evasive manner.
“Before exiting the interview, Anastacio Perico removed six (6) .22 caliber bullets from her bra and advised that Vincent Perico gave them to her earlier in the day,” Trooper Kearney wrote in the report.
State police later reported finding Williams’ Samsung cell phone, $180 in cash, his social security card, birth certificate, cigarette case and black leather wallet on the back seat of the Escape.
Diaper Booty is not identified in court papers and is not listed as facing any charges.
Vincent and Anastacia Persico and Beavers were charged with robbery; possession with intent to distribute drugs; illegal possession of a controlled substance; possession of drug paraphernalia; theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.
Sutton faces the same charges as well as a charge of illegal possession of a firearm.
South Carolina authorities twice arrested the Pericos for possession of methamphetamine, once in June 2014 and once against in October 2016.
In February 2011, Vincent Perico received three to 15 months in county jail after his guilty plea to theft charges in Susquehanna County Court of Common Pleas after prosecutors dropped burglary, conspiracy and drug possession counts as part of a plea deal. Perico was charged with two others in connection with a December 2010 burglary from a Hallstead residence.
Sutton and Beavers were released on unsecured bail after waiving preliminary hearings on Monday, July 30.
Vincent Perico and Anastacia Poff Perico are being held in the Susquehanna County Correctional Facility on $100,000 bail.
Magisterial District Judge Jeffrey Hollister has scheduled a preliminary hearing for the both the Pericos at 2 p.m., Monday, August 6, in Montrose District Court.
sad what drug dealing is doing to people in this county….young people…