A meth dealer who admitted trafficking millions of dollars in methamphetamine from Mexico to the Lehigh Valley will not get back his car, firearms, and $26,612 seized during the investigation, a judge ruled.
Gary Kuehner was one of 23 people from the Lehigh Valley, Montgomery County and New Jersey who were busted in April 2013 in connection with a ring that distributed $7 million worth of methamphetamine over five years.
Authorities made controlled drug buys at Kuehner’s homes in Allentown and Bethlehem, and his mother’s home on Union Boulevard in Allentown.
Agents with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office then raided all three locations, and seized Kuehner’s 2002 Honda Accord, the cash, a laptop, six cell phones, eight rifles, five shotguns and five pistols.
In October 2014, Kuehner pleaded guilty to possession with intent to deliver meth, possession with intent to deliver marijuana, and corrupt organizations. He was sentenced to five to 10 years in state prison.
Kuehner, who is currently in state prison in Cumberland County, wanted his stuff back.
Following forfeiture hearings in 2015 and 2016, a Lehigh County judge found the items were used in drug trafficking, like the car, or were the proceeds from drug trafficking.
Kuehner appealed, and in decision issued Wednesday, Commonwealth Court Senior Judge Dan Pellegrini agreed with the Lehigh County judge’s decision to keep the car, the money and the firearms.
Kuehner claimed the cash and other items were legally obtained. The money, specifically, was from the 2010 sale of his corner store, the liquidation of the business’ stock, and under-the-table payments for contracting work, court records say.
Wiretaps made during the investigation recorded Kuehner saying he accumulated large amounts of money from his drug business, court records say.
Kuehner had no documents to support these claims, and Pellegrini noted Kuehner’s testimony as to how he got so much cash was deemed not credible by the trial judge.
Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
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