SUNBURY - A 37-year-old Harrisburg man pleaded guilty Monday afternoon to four counts of delivering crack cocaine in Shamokin and Coal Township and will be sentenced in the near future.
Rufus Hudson, who is currently in Northumberland County Prison, entered the plea before President Judge Robert B. Sacavage, who could impose a sentence of 18 months to 5 years in a state correctional institution as recommended by the county adult probation department.
Hudson has had various run-ins with the law over the years, including a criminal conspiracy to commit murder offense relating to a November 2001 incident in Dauphin County, and leading area police officers on a wild car chase in February 2006 following an undercover drug operation in Shamokin. He was sentenced on the drug and eluding police charges in March 2007 to four to eight years in state prison.
He was most recently charged with 15 offenses by Ralpho Township Patrolman Christopher Grow and Cpl. Bryan Primerano in connection with four crack cocaine deals in Shamokin and Coal Township. Hudson pleaded guilty to a total of four counts (one count on each of the four criminal complaints) of delivering crack cocaine, which are felony offenses.
The remaining charges will not be prosecuted at sentencing.
Hudson, who has a prior record score of 5, was represented by county Public Defender Michael Suders. Assistant District Attorney Michael Toomey prosecuted the case.
The defendant, who had his legs shackled, told the judge he understood the ramifications of his plea and was satisfied with Suders' representation.
Suders requested that his client be committed to SCI-Coal Township to await sentencing instead of the county jail so he could receive proper treatment for a rib injury on his right side that Hudson claimed he suffered during a drive-by shooting in Harrisburg in November. Hudson told the judge he was shot twice in the side.
Since the injury couldn't be confirmed at his guilty plea, Sacavage ordered Hudson to be recommitted to the county prison at least until today when Hudson's future confinement can be decided.
Deals
Police said Hudson texted a confidential informant and arranged a meeting Feb. 23 at Tiffany Lounge, 58 E. Independence St., where he allegedly sold the informant $50 of crack cocaine.
He was charged with two felony counts of possession with intent to deliver, one felony count of criminal use of a communication facility, and one misdemeanor count each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The allegation mirrors those previously reported following his arrest Feb. 27 near Wal-Mart Supercenter on Route 61 in Coal Township after an informant allegedly paid him $200 for crack cocaine. After being taken into custody, police said Hudson also was found in possession of 20 30mg oxycodone pills.
Additional drug charges were filed against him from alleged incidents in Shamokin on both Feb. 13 and Feb. 23, when he allegedly sold 1/2 gram of crack cocaine for $50 to a confidential informant on both occasions.
The four cases involve officers from Northumberland-Montour Drug Task Force.