Parents, kids charged with drug possession

The parents allegedly told police they would rather have their kids use at home than worry about them.

By HARRY YANOSHAK
Courier Times

Middletown police said Gary and Kathleen Rabatin's marijuana use was a family affair.

In this case, the parents allegedly weren't "the anti-drug."

They believed it was better to have their son and daughter getting zonked out at home than finding them bleary-eyed on the suburban streets, said Detective Daniel Baranoski.

Police on Friday charged the whole family - Gary, 42, and his wife, Kathleen, 43, and their children, Kevin, 18, and their 16-year-old daughter - with possession of marijuana, drug paraphernalia and criminal conspiracy.

The family live at 34 Harp Road in Levittown's Highland Park section. The charges stem from a search of the house on March 7 when police were said to have recovered various amounts of marijuana in every room. Police also said they found the siblings had decorated their rooms with posters, pictures and drawings of marijuana.

According the detective's report, Gary and Kathleen Rabatin allegedly told police that they "would rather have their kids at home doing drugs than worrying where they are or what they're doing."

Both parents were also charged with corruption of minors.

Additionally, police charged Gary Rabatin with theft and receiving stolen property. During the search of the home, police found a stolen purse. Gary Rabatin claimed he had found the purse lying in a street but didn't report it to the police.

His children also received additional charges. Police said the daughter on Thursday lured a boy to the footbridge on Forsythia Drive in Middletown, where Kevin approached and accused the boy of tipping off the police and not paying a $300 drug debt. Police said Kevin then punched the boy a few times in the face. He wasn't seriously hurt. Kevin and his sister were also charged with retaliation against a witness and simple assault.

Kevin was charged as an adult for the alleged assault and as a juvenile for the alleged drug use because he was 17 when police searched the house; his sister was charged as a juvenile for both cases.

Middletown police said charges are pending against Bryan Rabatin, 23, of the 900 block of West Lincoln Highway in Middletown for possession of marijuana - marijuana that police said they found during a search of his residence. He's related to the family but the relationship wasn't specified.

Police arrested Kevin on Thursday at Neshaminy High School. Gary Rabatin turned himself in to authorities upon learning of his son's arrest. Both were arraigned before District Justice Frank Peranteau in Bristol Borough and sent to the Bucks County prison in Doylestown Township.

Gary's bail was set at $20,000; Kevin's, $50,000. Police said the daughter was sent to the county's juvenile detention center in Doylestown Township. Kathleen is expected to turn herself in to local authorities sometime this week. A summons will be mailed to Bryan Rabatin, police said.

"Unfortunately, we have been seeing this same parental attitude a lot recently," Baranoski said in a statement. "With this attitude of marijuana acceptance, we aren't wondering why every member of the Rabatin family smokes pot. I hope some parents wake up."

[From The Bucks County Courier Times, 16 June 2002]