Three Face Heroin Charges in I-78 Traffic Stop

Three people have been charged with intent to deliver heroin following a traffic stop on Interstate 78 in Upper Macungie on Wednesday.

Alicia Atkinson, 35, Todd Lamont Holmes, 43, and Lateef Stubblefield, 39, all of Pittsburgh, each face charges of conspiracy and possession with intent to deliver heroin. Stubblefield also faces a charge of marijuana possession.

According to an arrest affidavit:

* State police stopped an SUV, driven by Atkinson, for speeding at 9:27 p.m. Wednesday in the eastbound lanes of I-78 in Upper Macungie.

* Police ran a check and learned that Holmes, who owns the vehicle, and Stubblefield had extensive criminal histories for firearms and narcotics trafficking violations.

* Holmes gave police permission to search the vehicle. Police smelled marijuana and saw a large amount of money in a purse on the front passenger floorboard.

* Police obtained a search warrant for the SUV, and in a more extensive search, found 50 pounds of heroin that they said was packaged for sale. 

District Judge Michael Faulkner of Upper Macungie arraigned the three and set bail at $750,000 each. A condition of bail is that the money posted cannot come from the proceeds of drug sales.

The three denied knowledge of the heroin, according to the arrest affidavit.

A fourth person was in the SUV, according to the court records. No additional information was available.

Atkinson also was cited for speeding.