LOCK HAVEN - Ernest Paul Coit, of Pleasant Valley Boulevard, Altoona, was sentenced Tuesday on one count of Possession With Intent to Deliver Controlled Substance (Cocaine) for a January 2023 arrest by the Pennsylania State Police at Lamar.  Coit's case was the subject of extended delays and multiple pre-trial motions filed by four different defense attorneys who represented Coit at various times.  Clinton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Michael F. Salisbury sentenced Coit on Tuesday to 6 years to 12 years to be served in State Prison.  

Coit was originally arrested when Police conducted a traffic stop of a Bellefonte woman on state route 150 in Bald Eagle Township.  Lenee Confer, of Summers Lane, Bellefonte, was operating the vehicle when she was pulled over by police for traffic violations.  After conducting the stop, Police observed Coit in the passenger seat and both occupants seemed incapable of explaining how they knew each other or where they were going or coming from. Confer was ultimately determined to be incapable of driving safely and charged with a DUI.  

When police asked Coit to exit Confer's vehicle, police observed a fanny pack he was wearing contained multiple plastic baggies filled with white powder and white crystal substances.  Lab testing later confirmed that Coit was in possession of over 136 grams of methamphetamine, additional bags of cocaine, and over $2,100.00 cash in small denominations.  Coit has 4 prior felony drug convictions out of Blair County from 2017.