Six individuals arrested in connection with Taji Lee, a New Jersey man facing trial on 38 drug charges next month, might testify against him in exchange for a plea arrangement, the state's deputy attorney general said yesterday.

"As there are always, there are plea offers being made to them that require their cooperation with the case," Pennsylvania Senior Deputy Attorney General Mike Madeira said.

Madeira said the co-defendants who will most likely be subpoenaed are: Kenyon Ebeling, 36, of Boalsburg; Michelle Sopp, 20, of State College; Nicholas Oswald, 25, of State College; Joseph McLaughlin, 36, of State
College; Jenna Reeves, 54, of Boalsburg; and Brad Arzner, 25, of State College.

He said that there might be more subpoenas issued as the Oct. 17 trial nears.

Lee was arrested Jan. 11 after a three-year investigation. He was charged with delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal use of a communication a facility, money laundering and drug delivery resulting in the death of Boyd Francis, according to court documents.

Six of his co-defendants were arrested March 31 after a grand jury investigation.

These individuals each face their own drug charges, including various counts of possession with intent to deliver.

Madeira said much of the case against Lee is built on co-defendants' testimonies.

"Drug dealers hang around with drug users and other dealers," he said. "I'm not the one who gets to choose the witnesses; the witnesses are often involved in the crime."

He added that while the credibility of the witnesses may be questioned during trial, they are the ones with the most knowledge of Lee.

While some of the lawyers representing Lee's co-defendants said they plan to cooperate with the prosecution, the majority said it is premature to make any specific commitments.

Ebeling's attorney, Erik Rutkowski, said she is planning on cooperating. Reeves' attorney, Joseph Amendola, said his client would not commit to testifying until he sees the specific plea offer.

Sopp's attorney, Brian Manchester, refused to comment on the case yesterday.

Attorneys representing Arzner, Oswald and McLaughlin were unavailable for comment at press time.

Five of the six defendants -- Arzner, Ebeling, Reeves, Oswald, and McLaughlin -- have postponed their cases until after the Lee trial and probably will not have full closure until late 2005 or early 2006.

Sopp, who pled guilty July 19 to delivery, criminal conspiracy and criminal use of a communication facility, was sentenced yesterday to nine to 23.5 months in Centre County Prison and to two years of consecutive probation.

Madeira said the negotiations for many of the co-defendants continue and "if they want to deal, they have to cooperate."