Cheswick couple charged with hiding meth, heroin in candy bag

A Cheswick couple face multiple felony drug charges after Allegheny Valley Regional Police accused them of selling heroin and crystal meth they packaged in a candy bag.

Joseph Sciulli, 37, and Danielle Taylor, 47, of the 1400 block of Freeport Road each were charged with four felony counts of delivery of a controlled substance as well as criminal use of a communications facility, according to a criminal complaint.

Sciulli also was charged with two felony counts of drug delivery and a count of criminal use of a communications facility for selling crystal meth to an undercover police officer March 17, the complaint said.

Police said Sciulli and Taylor were the subjects of an ongoing drug investigation when an informant arranged to buy 14 stamp bags of heroin and 1 gram of crystal meth for $190 on March 3, according to a criminal complaint.

Sciulli is being held in Allegheny County Jail in lieu of a $20,000 bond for the March 3 case. A $10,000 bond was set for the charges filed March 17, according to court records.

Taylor was released from jail after posting a $20,000 bond, court records show.

Sciulli faces preliminary hearings before District Judge David Sosovicka on Monday and July 18. Taylor is scheduled to appear before Sosovicka on July 18.

Investigators said Sciulli was contacted by telephone when the informant arrived at a predetermined location to complete the transaction.

The informant was met by Taylor at a nearby sandwich shop where she exchanged cash for the drugs, which were packaged in a bag of Cadbury mini chocolate eggs, the complaint said.

She told the informant that the crystal meth she was selling was high quality and that she “always puts it in a candy bag,” the complaint said.

Taylor also said the heroin being sold to the informant did not contain fentanyl, according to the complaint.

Police wrote in Sciulli’s arrest papers that an undercover police officer contacted him March 17 by telephone and arranged to buy half a gram of crystal meth for $50.

Sciulli is accused of meeting with the officer in the restroom of a nearby convenience store to sell the drugs.