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HOLLIDAYSBURG – One of two people who tried to help a Philadelphia drug trafficker hide drugs from police in May 2023 entered guilty pleas Friday to several criminal charges in exchange for 10 years of probation.

Kyle L. Smalley, 38, who lived in East Freedom at the time of the offense, told Blair County Judge Jackie Bernard that he made a poor choice when he brought home a large black garbage bag that was placed in his truck outside the Altoona put. Large hotel.

“You thought you could make a quick buck,” Bernard told Smalley, who admitted he was motivated by money.

“Absolutely,” Smalley told the judge. “It was my choice. It was a bad choice.”

Criminal charges allege that Smalley took $5,000 from the bag at the direction of his wife, Brittany Smalley, and drug trafficker Isaiah R. Tilghman Jr., who at the time was selling drugs from a rented room at the Altoona Grand Hotel.

Police, who were looking for Tilghman after failing to find him at the hotel, ended up at the Smalleys’ East Freedom residence.

There, police found the black garbage bag containing massive amounts of fentanyl containing xylazine, methamphetamine and cocaine. The bag also contained Tilghman’s clothing, wallet with identification cards and cash. Police also found $4,000 in a key box at the Smalleys’ home.

After Brittany Smalley told police that Tilghman would contact her to pick up the bag, police had her arrange a meeting at Pleasant Valley Boulevard and 19th Street. Officers arrested Tilghman near that location after a brief foot chase.

Bernard, who sentenced Tilghman Thursday to 19.5 to 47 years in prison for drug trafficking and crimes related to his December 2023 escape from Blair County Prison via the ventilation system, accepted Kyle Smalley’s guilty pleas. His crimes include criminal conspiracy, possession with intent to deliver fentanyl, possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, possession with intent to deliver cocaine, dealing in the proceeds of an unlawful act, obstructing of arrest, criminal use of a communications facility and tampering with evidence.

Assistant District Attorney Morgan Green and defense attorney Scott Pletcher presented the negotiated plea to Bernard, who asked for a rationale behind imposing 10 years of probation, a substantial departure from state guidelines of incarceration of 7.5 to 15 years as the standard sentence for possession with intent to deliver.

The judge also referenced Tilghman’s sentencing, in which District Attorney Pete Weeks asked for a minimum of 48 years based on the amount of drugs and the largest seizure of fentanyl in the county.

“My opinion is you got the deal of the century,” Bernard told Smalley.

Green told the judge: “We are departing due to the defendant’s cooperation.”

However, that same offer has not been available to Brittany Smalley, who on Friday withdrew from entering guilty pleas for a state prison sentence with a minimum of 4.5 or five years, prompting Bernard to schedule her case for jury selection on Dec. 1. 16.

Brittany Smalley, while out on bail, missed a required court appearance that resulted in a bench warrant. She also breached bail conditions with a shoplifting charge, to which she pleaded guilty in October, and two summary traffic offences, to which she pleaded guilty in November.

Bernard also referenced a pre-trial hearing in which Smalley fell asleep in court, but Smalley said Friday that happened because of medication changes.

Kyle Smalley said in court that his wife’s cooperation with police should be recognized in the sentence she receives.

“In my opinion, she is the reason (Tilghman) is where he is,” Kyle Smalley said.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456.