Altoona man accused of selling meth
Nowlin kicked out of Family Shelter just days prior to arrest
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A city man was taken into custody after allegedly selling methamphetamine out of the Family Shelter in Altoona, where he was provided temporary housing.
Artimus Sergio Nowlin, 38, was arraigned Thursday by Magisterial District Judge Daniel C. DeAntonio on single felony counts of criminal use of a communication facility, possession with intent to deliver and conspiracy to commit possession with intent to deliver and single misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was remanded to the Blair County Prison in lieu of $20,000 bail.
According to a post to the Altoona Police Department's Facebook page, officers received a tip Wednesday reporting that an unknown male, later identified as Nowlin, was selling meth from the Family Shelter in Altoona. Officers were given a physical description of Nowlin and were told he originally was from Pittsburgh.
Officers obtained contact information for Nowlin and, on Thursday, APD narcotics investigators sent him a text arranging the purchase of meth. Officers reported that Nowlin immediately called them and arranged the purchase of $80 worth of "ice cream." Nowlin told officers to meet him at the bus station downtown, the post states.
An undercover officer arrived in the area on foot while other officers surrounded the area. Nowlin then approached the officer and was subsequently taken into custody without incident, the post states.
A search of Nowlin yielded about 1.5 grams of meth. In an interview, Nowlin allegedly admitted to calling the officers, thinking they were customers contacting him. A follow-up investigation at the Family Shelter revealed that Nowlin was kicked out just days prior to this arrest, the post states.
Nowlin is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Nov. 25 in front of DeAntonio.