A wanted Carbondale woman faces charges after giving officers a false name Saturday night in the city, police said.
Officers responded to the Dollar General on Westside Drive around 8:07 p.m. for the report of a suspected wanted female sitting in a blue minivan outside the business, according to a criminal complaint.
When officers informed the woman about their purpose for confronting her, she told them her name was Christina Valentin, police said. However, another officer arrived and positively identified her as Tracie Valentin, according to the criminal complaint.
Valentin (Courtesy Lackawanna County Central Processing)
Valentin acknowledged being wanted by police and said she skipped her court hearing due to her father dying in the hospital, officers said.
As officers took Valentin into custody, they found a dollar bill with a white powder inside her purse, police said. When asked what was inside the bill, Valentin said it was “subutex,” according to the criminal complaint.
Valentin later told officers she had a small amount of methamphetamine inside her bra, and gave them a white paper with a crystal-like substance inside, later identified to be methamphetamine, police said.
Police charged Valentin, 51, with flight to avoid apprehension, providing false identification to law enforcement, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Valentin remains in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $7,500 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 12 at 9:45 a.m.