Suspect in Pittston dog abandonment charged with marijuana possession

Ed Lewis, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
·2 min read
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May 31—WILKES-BARRE — A man who was released on unsecured bail related to abandoning a pit bull named Nova in Pittston is facing charges of possession of marijuana and driving with a suspended license.

Terik Wiggins, 30, address listed as Oliver Street, Wilkes-Barre, was stopped by police for driving a 2007 Chrysler with an expired inspection sticker on West Northampton Street on May 20, according to the criminal complaint.

Police noted the vehicle's registration was also expired.

During the traffic stop, officers detected an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and spotted rolling papers on the passenger side floor, the complaint says.

Police in the complaint say Wiggins was driving the vehicle with a suspended license due to a previous drunken driving offense.

Wiggins exited the vehicle and during a pat-down search, an officer allegedly felt a bag in his pocket.

Wiggins allegedly removed the bag that contained a small amount of marijuana.

Police in the complaint say Wiggins and the owner of the vehicle denied a request to search the vehicle.

A search warrant was later served on the vehicle when a bag of marijuana, two joints and a pack of rolling papers were found in the center console and rolling papers on the passenger side floor, the complaint says.

Police filed charges of possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving with a suspended license were filed against Wiggins with District Judge Thomas Malloy in Wilkes-Barre on May 24. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 5 in Luzerne County Central Court.

In an unrelated case, Wiggins was released from the county correctional facility when his bail of $50,000 was modified to unsecured on Feb. 21 on aggravated animal cruelty and neglect charges.

Pittston City police charged Wiggins and his girlfriend, Shaniqwa Scott, 24, on allegations they abandoned a malnourished Pit Bull in an alley near Butler Street on June 8, 2021, according to court records.

Wiggins is scheduled for a trial in county court on the animal cruelty charges in September.

Scott, who was released after posting $50,000 bail on Feb. 15, is scheduled to appear before Judge Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr. for a dispositional hearing on July 6.

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