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Altoona pair accused of drug trafficking waive preliminary hearings

Makarikas, Helsel each facing two felony counts

Metro

Altoona residents who are facing drug trafficking charges after police responding to a trespassing incident allegedly uncovered drug paraphernalia, waived their rights to preliminary hearings in Blair County Court on Wednesday, sending all charges against them to the court of common pleas.

Michael J. Makarikas, 46, and Brenda Ann Helsel, 38, are both facing two felony counts each of conspiracy – possession with intent to deliver and possession with intent to deliver, three misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and a single misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia. Makarikas was also charged with a single misdemeanor count of possession of a small amount of marijuana, while Helsel faces a single misdemeanor count of child endangerment.

They were remanded to the Blair County Prison in lieu of their respective $75,000 bails.

The charges stem from a June 24 incident, when Altoona police were dispatched to a residence along the 1400 block of 18th Avenue for an individual reporting that no one should be inside their family member’s home. The individual told officers he was informed that people were staying inside and there was ongoing drug activity, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

Officers then made contact at the residence with Makarikas, Helsel and co-defendant Joseph Hillard, 45, as well as Helsel’s two children, ages 17 and 12. As officers spoke to the group, they observed various drug paraphernalia items in plain view throughout the residence. At that time, all three adults were placed into custody while the children were released to other family members, the report states.

Police reported that a search incident to the arrests of Hillard and Makarikas turned up drug packaging materials, smoking devices, heroin and marijuana. A narcotics search warrant was then executed on the residence.

The search yielded various paraphernalia/packaging materials to include clear bags, wax packets, rubber bands, digital scales, needles, a blender and sifter; 16 grams of cocaine; 6 grams of fentanyl; a small amount of meth and seven packets of heroin, court documents state.

Hillard is also charged with two felony counts each of possession with intent to deliver and conspiracy – possession with intent to deliver, three misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and a single misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Unable to post $75,000 bail, he was remanded to the Blair County Prison, where he awaits a preliminary hearing in front of Magisterial District Judge Benjamin F. Jones on July 30.

Mirror Staff Writer Rachel Foor is at 814-946-7458.

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