March 13, 2012 at 8:39 a.m.
Dalka pleads not guilty in 'bath salts' case
Patrick R. Dalka, 34, entered not guilty pleas Monday afternoon to charges he possessed and delivered MDPV (methylenedioxypyrovalerone, a substance commonly found in the designer drug known as bath salts) and neglected a child.
According to the National Institutes of Health website, bath salts is a common name for a powerful, designer stimulant drug that mimics the effects of cocaine and methamphetamine. It is believed the name bath salts is used because the substance looks similar to bath salts commonly used for soaking in bathtubs.
Dalka was charged Feb. 3 after his wife asked authorities to search her vehicle for explosives.
According to the complaint, Dalka's wife told authorities her husband told her he put two quarter sticks of dynamite in her car. She also told officers her husband had been "hallucinating in the middle of the night for no explainable reason" and had advised her he is the "middle man" for drug dealing.
The child neglect charge stems from an allegation Dalka took his pajama-clad infant son outside in subzero temperatures while high on bath salts.
Dalka's attorney, public defender Mary Hogan, told the court Monday her client is in treatment for substance abuse and is due to graduate soon. She asked that he be allowed to sign a signature bond upon his release from the program.
Judge Patrick O'Melia did not immediately rule on the request. Instead, he set a motion hearing for Wednesday afternoon to allow time for both parties to gather further information.
Dalka faces up to 14 years in prison if convicted of all charges.
A pretrial conference in this case was set for April 17.
Heather Schaefer may be reached at [email protected].
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