Convicted drug dealer free after 10 years in prison
Oct. 28—SUNBURY — Convicted drug dealer Neil Neidig is a free man following a heated resentencing hearing in front of a Northumberland County judge Wednesday.
Neidig, 60, of Sunbury, originally sentenced to 14 to 29 years in state prison after a jury in 2013 found him guilty of 21 counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, was given a 9 1/2-year to 29-year sentence by Judge Paige Rosini. Neidig will remain on probation for the next 19 years.
Neidig has been incarcerated since 2011 and he was paroled on Oct. 18. Neidig's case was one of the biggest drug busts in Valley history, according to prosecutors from the state attorney general's office.
Neidig was arrested in June 2011 after being stopped by a state trooper for a traffic violation in Monroe County. Troopers said they found in Neidig's vehicle a bucket containing 13 pounds of marijuana, $13,000 in cash and several switchblades.
The arrest followed a combination of years of investigating and using multiple informants to purchase marijuana, according to court documents.
Neidig appealed his sentencing of 14-29 years by saying it was an illegal sentence because it was enhanced due to some of the crimes being committed within a school zone.
The law governing the school zone enhancement was declared unconstitutional in 2014. Accordingly, the state Superior Court remanded the case for resentencing.
As a result of his conviction and sentence, Neidig also lost possession of 10 high-priced vehicles, including what he says was a $100,000 Chevrolet Corvette race car.
The state attorney general's office claimed he purchased the vehicles with drug money but Neidig denied that any of the vehicles were purchased with illegal funds.
Deputy Attorney General David Gorman prosecuted the case for the state while Neidig had public defender Michael O'Donnell representing him.
O'Donnell argued to Rosini to let Neidig remain free and often objected to Gorman questioning Neidig's daughter, Amy Neidig, who took the stand to tell Rosini she wanted her father to remain out of jail so he can see his grandkids and form a relationship with them.
Gorman brought up that Amy Neidig testified against her father 10 years ago about the "family business" of selling marijuana. Amy Neidig said she was 18 at the time and was scared she would also be going to jail. Amy Neidig pleaded with Rosini to allow her father to remain free and prove he could become a contributing member of society.
Amy Neidig told Gorman that she knows her father was guilty but that he has served his time and now she only wants him to be able to be there for her family as he missed most of her adulthood.
O'Donnell objected often to Gorman's questioning, so much so that Rosini threatened to hold the public defender in contempt of court if he continued to object.
"If you say another word I will hold you in contempt," Rosini told O'Donnell. "I've already told you I am allowing the questioning."
Rosini listened to the testimony and closing arguments before taking a brief break to render her sentencing.
Neidig sat at the defense table, spoke with O'Donnell and family members during the break and when the judge returned listened intently as Rosini delivered the sentence.
"I am happy to be out and home," Neidig said after the resentencing took place. "I want to be able to tell my story but I am thankful that I am out and I can be able to be with my family and grandchildren."
