From Mirror staff reports

A Blair County couple face drug trafficking charges after a traffic stop Wednesday wrapped up a monthslong investigation into cocaine trafficking from New Jersey, according to the state Office of Attorney General.

Quida Samuel Mertens, 54, and Toya Yvonne Kennedy, 32, both of Altoona, and formerly of Newark were taken into custody following the traffic stop and charged Thursday with felony drug trafficking for bringing a kilogram of cocaine to Blair County for street sales, a news release states.

Kennedy is also charged with felony child endangerment for having her small child in the vehicle during the drug run.

Investigators had been tracking the pair for allegedly traveling to Newark to obtain large quantities of cocaine. On Wednesday night, in communication with the Office of Attorney General, state police stopped Kennedy’s vehicle on I-99 in northern Blair County, according to a police report.

During an interview with police, Mertens said they were on their back from a dentist appointment for their child while Kennedy said they were eating in Bellefonte.

A K9 conducted an open-air sniff of the vehicle, alerting to the odor of controlled substances, police reported.

The couple were taken into custody and transported to the state police barracks in Hollidaysburg, while a search warrant was sought and granted to the vehicle, the report states.

During the search, investigators found two pounds of cocaine concealed in the trunk, alongside a string of Christmas lights.

The drugs have an estimated street value of $90,700.

Mertens was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Daniel C. DeAntonio on felony counts of possession with intent to deliver, conspiracy possession with intent to deliver and endangering the welfare of a child, along with misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Unable to post $400,000 bail, he was remanded to the Blair County Prison.

Kennedy faces similar charges. Her bail was set at $250,000 and she was also remanded to prison.

The two are scheduled for preliminary hearings on Dec. 23 before Magisterial District Judge Carmine W. Prestia Jr.

A number of local and state law enforcement agencies were involved in the investigation, including the Tyrone and Bellwood police departments, the Blair County Drug Task Force, state police and the AG’s office.

According to court documents, Mertens is facing a dozen felony drug charges from a case earlier this year. He was out on $200,000 bail in that case when taken into custody Wednesday.

Online court documents show an emergency motion to revoke his bail and order bail forfeiture was made on Thursday. That bail hearing is set for Dec. 15. A trial list review in that case is set for Feb. 19 in Courtroom 1, according to online court documents.