A Shenandoah man remains behind bars in Schuylkill County Prison after state police say he was caught with a loaded handgun with an obliterated serial number and suspected cocaine during a weekend incident in the borough.
Ronald Kennedy, 46, of Shenandoah, was arraigned on felony firearms and drug charges following the incident, which unfolded the morning of Saturday, June 28, 2025.
According to court documents filed by Pennsylvania State Police, troopers were dispatched around 8:23 a.m. to 200 East Coal Street for a report of a suspicious vehicle. A black Jeep Grand Cherokee was found parked behind the building, and Kennedy was discovered asleep in the driver’s seat.
When questioned, Kennedy reportedly told troopers he had been waiting to give friends a ride and had fallen asleep. Trooper Duncan observed what appeared to be the handle of a pistol protruding from Kennedy’s front pants pocket. Initially claiming it was a BB gun, Kennedy then admitted the weapon was a .40 caliber pistol he said he had “found.” He also admitted he was a convicted felon and not permitted to possess firearms.
Troopers took Kennedy into custody. Further inspection revealed the serial number on the handgun had been obliterated, and six rounds of .40 caliber ammunition were found in the vehicle’s center console. A search of the Jeep, to which Kennedy consented, also turned up a baggie of suspected cocaine in the driver’s side door.
Kennedy was transported to PSP Frackville, where he waived his Miranda rights and agreed to speak with investigators. Troopers confirmed his felony narcotics conviction from October 2010, rendering him prohibited from owning or carrying firearms under Pennsylvania law.
Field testing of the suspected cocaine yielded positive results.
Kennedy was charged with:
- Possession of a Firearm Prohibited (Felony 1)
- Possession of a Firearm with an Altered Manufacturer’s Number (Felony 2)
- Intentional Possession of a Controlled Substance (Misdemeanor)