Angelina G. Pagano
WESTFIELD – One of the co-defendants arrested on drug trafficking charges had his case moved to Hampden County Superior Court.
Jacob A. Lisheness, 32, Angelina G. Pagano, 22, and Lisheness’ girlfriend, Selina M. Hine, 22, each face charges of cocaine trafficking of 36-100 grams and conspiracy to violate drug law.
Lisheness was due back in Westfield District Court on Thursday, but didn’t appear because he has already been indicted and arraigned in Superior Court.
Selina M. Hine
Pagano and Hine are both due back in Westfield District Court on February 2 if their cases aren’t also moved to Superior Court by then.
“Most crimes begin in district court . . . (but) the district court is generally limited to deciding cases for which the maximum authorized penalty for a crime is not more than five years’ imprisonment,” according to mass.gov.
At 10:30 p.m. September 11, police stopped a vehicle, in which Lisheness and Hine were passengers with Pagano as driver after Westfield police had followed the defendants to Hartford and allegedly witnessed them purchasing 57 grams of cocaine and concealing it in the hood of Pagano’s 2008 Volkswagen.
Lisheness, who has a long criminal record including twenty guilty convictions in the Commonwealth dating back to 2001, which include assault with a dangerous weapon and numerous default warrants, will remain free on $3,000 cash bail.
Staff Writer Christine Charnosky can be reached at [email protected]
