Judge denies Altoona man’s appeal of conviction for role in drug-trafficking ring
Rodriguez found guilty of drug charges for role in trafficking ring
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HOLLIDAYSBURG -- A senior Adams County judge on Monday denied and dismissed the petition for post-conviction relief filed by a city man convicted in March on 13 felony counts for his role in a drug-trafficking ring.
A Blair County jury found Matthew Lewis Rodriguez, 40, guilty of 10 felony counts of possession with intent to deliver and single felony counts of conspiracy to commit possession with intent to deliver, corrupt organizations, dealing in unlawful proceeds and knowledge that property is proceeds of an illegal act following a two-day trial that saw him take the stand in his own defense.
Senior Judge Michael A. George sentenced Rodriguez on July 14 to five to 10 years' incarceration.
Rodriguez filed the petition on his own behalf on July 28 and asked the court to vacate his conviction, grant him a new trial or "grant such relief" that the court "deems just and proper."
Rodriguez wrote that the jury's verdict "was against the weight of the evidence" and the prosecution's case "relied heavily on cooperating witnesses, circumstantial evidence and investigative inferences."
Testimony presented at trial contained inconsistencies regarding "the alleged role of Rodriguez in the conspiracy," surveillance observations, drug delivery, the timeliness of events and "the credibility of key Commonwealth witnesses," Rodriguez wrote, adding that "the verdict shocks the conscious and that justice requires a new trial."
Rodriguez then challenged the sufficiency of the evidence presented at his trial, writing that the prosecution "failed to establish beyond a reasonable doubt each essential element of the offenses for which he was convicted." He wrote that the evidence specifically failed to establish his knowing participation in the alleged conspiracy, his participation in a corrupt organization and "the elements supporting the individual delivery convictions."
Rodriguez also cited "evidentiary errors," "prosecutorial argument" and "cumulative errors" in his petition but did not give additional detail to support these arguments.
George issued an order denying the petition in its entirety but stated Rodriguez had a right to appeal the decision with the Superior Court within 30 days.
In his written opinion, George described Rodriguez's arguments as "vague" and lacking "any specificity as to the particular conviction challenged." He cited a 2015 case in writing that "such specificity is a crucial component which aids the trial court in identifying and focusing on those issues which the parties plan to raise on appeal."
Addressing Rodriguez's assertion that the jury's verdict went against the weight of the evidence, George wrote "regardless of the vagueness of his challenge, this Court is satisfied that the motion lacks merit."
George gave similar reasons for denying and dismissing Rodriguez's remaining motions.
Rodriguez was taken into custody alongside seven other individuals in June 2025 after a statewide grand jury investigation recommended criminal charges against them for running a drug ring. The drug-trafficking investigation began after Altoona police received a call in November 2022 for a suspected drug overdose, the police report states.
It was discovered that 26-year-old Marlana Koehle died of a multi-drug overdose that included fentanyl and cocaine. Police searched the area and found half of a blue pill and white powder, which were later tested and confirmed to be fentanyl and cocaine. A forensic pathologist determined the concentration of fentanyl in Koehle's body was sufficient to have caused her death, the report states.
Rodriguez is currently at SCI Camp Hill.
Mirror staff writer Rachel Foor-Musselman is at 814-946-7458.