5 busted in cocaine ring

BY AMANDA CHRISTMAN
STAFF WRITER
Published: Friday, October 24, 2008 4:16 AM EDT
Five Hazleton residents were arrested on a slew of crack cocaine-related charges late Thursday night.

Two of those arrested allegedly sold cocaine in a school zone. Another was a school van driver for a local bus company, though police believe she did not sell drugs on the van route. A third allegedly delivered drugs with her 18-month-old daughter in the vehicle, Hazleton police said.

Bail was set on all five and they were remanded to Luzerne County Correctional Facility. They all face preliminary hearings Oct. 31 in Central Court, Wilkes-Barre. They were arraigned by District Judge Joseph Zola at Hazleton City Hall. An interpreter was used as some of them did not speak English.

n Kerving Pujols, 33, of 623 Meade Court, was charged with eight counts each of criminal use of communication facility (third-degree felony), possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance (felony), delivery of a controlled substance (felony) and possession of a controlled substance (an ungraded misdemeanor). He was jailed on $150,000 cash.

n Rafael “Frankieâ€