Lakeville Man Jailed Without Bail on Cocaine and Firearms Charges as Preliminary Hearing Delayed a Fourth Time; Co-Defendant's Case Moves to Common Pleas

Pike County / Wayne County, PA — Gustave Debree IV, 52, of Lakeville, has been sitting in Pike County Prison without bail since mid-March, and the defense has pushed his preliminary hearing back four times. It is now scheduled for May 27, 2026 — nearly three months after a joint Pike-Wayne county investigation led to his arrest on charges that he delivered cocaine while illegally possessing six firearms.

His alleged co-conspirator, Ryan James Cartwright, 37, of Hawley, has already had his drug trafficking charges bound over to Pike County Court of Common Pleas, where the case is awaiting a pretrial conference before President Judge Gregory H. Chelak. The court increased Cartwright’s bail from $100,000 to $175,000 on April 7, with an order requiring the bond be secured solely by real property.

The two men were arrested two days apart in early March as part of a two-month undercover investigation run jointly by the Pike County and Wayne County District Attorney’s offices, with assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police, sheriff’s deputies from both counties, and the Lehigh Township Police K9 unit.

The Investigation

Pike County District Attorney Ray Tonkin and Wayne County District Attorney A.G. Howell announced the arrests on March 10, 2026, describing them as the product of a coordinated cross-county effort to disrupt drug trafficking in the region.

In the first case, investigators obtained a sealed search warrant from Pike County President Judge Chelak and arrested Debree in Lackawaxen Township on March 2 as he allegedly arrived to deliver cocaine. After taking Debree into custody, investigators obtained a second sealed search warrant from Wayne County President Judge Janine Edwards for Debree’s residence at 9 Ridge Crest Drive in Paupack Township. According to the affidavit of probable cause, the search turned up more than 12 ounces of cocaine, a digital scale, and unused plastic baggies consistent with drug packaging.

While searching for narcotics, investigators observed firearms in the residence. Because Debree’s criminal record prohibits him from possessing guns, they obtained a third search warrant — this one from Magisterial District Judge Jessica Ellis — specifically to seize the weapons. That search yielded six firearms, including a 9mm pistol and a tactical shotgun.

After his arrest, Debree complained of chest pains and was transported by ambulance to a hospital in New York State — the closest facility to Milford. Investigators obtained a separate arrest warrant, and after Debree was medically cleared and released from the hospital, New York State Police took him into custody and remanded him to the Orange County Jail in Goshen, NY. Debree waived extradition and was returned to Pike County.

Two days later, on March 4, investigators served search warrants on Cartwright’s residence at 47 East Road in Hawley and on his Ford F-150. Pennsylvania State Police located Cartwright in the Hamlin area after he had already left the residence. The search of his vehicle turned up approximately 250 grams — roughly eight ounces — of methamphetamine, with an estimated street value of $12,500. According to the criminal complaint, Cartwright admitted during his interview that he had been selling methamphetamine for several months and had just completed a sale before his arrest.

Where Each Case Stands Now

Debree was arraigned on March 16 before Magisterial District Judge Ashley G. Zimmerman, who denied bail based on bail factors. He has been held at Pike County Prison since that date. His defense attorney, Matthew Thomas Comerford of Scranton, has requested continuances four times — on March 23, March 27, April 10, and April 15 — pushing the preliminary hearing from its original March 24 date all the way to May 27, 2026. The hearing will be held before MDJ Zimmerman, who has jurisdiction over Dingman, Lackawaxen, and Shohola townships.

Debree faces nine charges: possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance (ungraded felony), criminal use of a communication facility (F3), conspiracy to commit PWID (ungraded felony), and six counts of persons not to possess firearms (F2 each). The firearms charges alone — each a second-degree felony carrying up to 10 years — represent the bulk of his potential exposure.

Cartwright was arraigned the same week before MDJ Zimmerman and initially held on $100,000 bail at Pike County Correctional Facility. His case moved faster: the preliminary hearing was held March 17, where both charges — PWID and conspiracy — were waived for court. The case was transferred to Pike County Court of Common Pleas (CP-52-CR-0000117-2026), where the information was filed March 30.

But Cartwright’s legal situation has grown more complicated since. On March 31, the Commonwealth filed a motion to increase his bail, which Judge Chelak granted on April 7, raising it to $175,000 and ordering that it be secured solely by real property. Cartwright waived formal arraignment to the May 2026 term. A pretrial conference was held April 6. As of today, Cartwright remains confined at Pike County Prison.

Cartwright also faces a separate Wayne County charge. On March 25, 2026, he was charged with felony retail theft (F3) in Wayne County Court of Common Pleas (CP-64-CR-0000078-2026), originating from a November 2025 incident in Texas Township investigated by PSP Honesdale. That case is also awaiting a pretrial conference. Cartwright is represented by Thomas F. Farley of Farley & Weed LLC in Hawley in both cases.

Debree’s Criminal History

Court records show Debree has a substantial prior record across multiple NEPA counties — and it explains why investigators sought a separate warrant for the firearms.

In 2013, Debree was arrested by Stroud Regional Police in Monroe County on a simple assault charge. He pleaded guilty and the case was transferred to Wayne County for supervision (CP-45-CR-0001657-2013, guilty plea March 20, 2014, Judge Stephen M. Higgins).

In 2019, Debree racked up three Wayne County cases in quick succession. He was found in contempt twice for violating a protection-from-abuse order (CP-64-MD-0000067-2019 and CP-64-MD-0000078-2019), receiving three months’ probation on each. He also pleaded guilty to criminal trespass — entering a structure, a third-degree felony — before Judge Janine Edwards (CP-64-CR-0000168-2019). That felony conviction is what made him a prohibited person under 18 Pa.C.S. § 6105, barring him from possessing firearms.

On the drug side, Debree pleaded guilty in 2019 to use/possession of drug paraphernalia in Pike County (CP-52-CR-0000495-2019), receiving 12 months’ probation from Judge Chelak. That case was transferred to Wayne County for supervision. Most recently, in October 2025, he pleaded guilty to intentional possession of a controlled substance in Monroe County (MJ-43302-CR-0000255-2025).

Two additional archived Wayne County dockets from 1996 (CP-64-CR-0031015-1996 and CP-64-CR-0031021-1996) also appear in his record, though details are unavailable.

Cartwright’s Criminal History

Cartwright’s record spans four counties and includes prior felony convictions for retail theft. In Bucks County, he pleaded guilty to felony retail theft and conspiracy in 2018 and received a time-served sentence of up to 23 months’ confinement, followed by backtime of 561 days imposed in 2021 (CP-09-CR-0006406-2017). A separate Bucks County retail theft from 2018 resulted in six months’ probation (CP-09-CR-0005277-2018).

In Lackawanna County, he pleaded guilty to retail theft (M2) in 2020 and received two years’ probation before Judge Michael J. Barrasse (CP-35-CR-0002459-2018).

In Wayne County, Cartwright pleaded guilty to terroristic threats (M1) and theft of services (M2) in 2020 (CP-64-CR-0000013-2020, Judge Edwards), and separately pleaded guilty to drug possession and drug paraphernalia charges that same year (CP-64-CR-0000024-2020, Judge Edwards).

Cross-County Cooperation

DA Tonkin credited the joint approach in a statement accompanying the arrests, saying the offices have been working together to investigate and arrest drug dealers operating in both counties. “Criminals travel across boundary lines and our joint cooperation will ensure that law enforcement investigate and apprehend them wherever they go in Pike and Wayne Counties,” Tonkin said.

DA Howell called the collaboration essential to combating the flow of illegal drugs in and through NEPA.

Anyone with information on drug activity in Pike County can call the DA’s office at 570-296-3482 and ask for a county detective. Tips on drug dealing in Wayne County can be directed to Wayne County Chief Detective Peter Hower at 570-253-5970 ext. 2255, or submitted anonymously to 570-391-0657.

Both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Case Reference — Gustave Debree IV

MDJ Docket: MJ-60303-CR-0000025-2026
Defendant: Gustave Debree IV, 52, of Lakeville, PA (Wayne County)
OTN: V 1018081-1
Arresting Agency: Pike County Detectives
Arresting Officer: Detective Matthew B. Brown
Bail: Denied (March 16, 2026)
Confinement: Pike County Prison (since March 16, 2026)
Next Court Date: May 27, 2026, Preliminary Hearing, MDJ Ashley G. Zimmerman
Defense Attorney: Matthew Thomas Comerford, Esq., Scranton, PA
Prosecuting: Pike County District Attorney’s Office (DA Ray Tonkin)

Case Reference — Ryan James Cartwright

Pike County CCP Docket: CP-52-CR-0000117-2026
MDJ Docket (original): MJ-60303-CR-0000026-2026
Wayne County CCP Docket (retail theft): CP-64-CR-0000078-2026
Defendant: Ryan James Cartwright, 37, of Hawley, PA (Wayne County)
OTN: C 1017981-6 (Pike); I 1017744-0 (Wayne)
Arresting Agency: Pike County Detectives (drug case); PSP Honesdale (retail theft)
Bail: $175,000 monetary (increased April 7, 2026; must be secured by real property)
Confinement: Pike County Prison
Defense Attorney: Thomas F. Farley, Esq., Farley & Weed LLC, Hawley, PA
Prosecuting: Pike County DA (drug case); Wayne County DA A.G. Howell (retail theft)