MAHANOY CITY - An 18-year-old man was jailed after being arrested by borough police Saturday and charged with having more than $1,000 in marijuana, cash and other items inside his home.
John P. Colon, 118 E. Market St., was arraigned by on-call Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville, on charges of one count of felony possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, four misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Colon was committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post 10 percent of $25,000 bail set by Reiley via video arraignment.
Mahanoy City police Cpl. Michael Dissinger said Saturday's arrest was the result of a search warrant served at Colon's home about 1:45 p.m. after an investigation and several controlled purchases of illegal drugs.
Dissinger said that earlier this month he received information that Colon was selling marijuana, cocaine and heroin from the home, located just one block west of the borough police station.
A confidential informant told police that he purchased drugs from Colon in the past and that the man conducts his illegal drug business at all hours of the day.
Three controlled purchases of drugs resulted in Saturday's search warrant, Dissinger said.
During the week of Feb. 20, Dissinger said the informant was given a pre-recorded amount of money, went to Colon's home and purchased marijuana.
That same week the informant was again given pre-recorded money and purchased marijuana from Colon a second time.
A third buy with pre-recorded money resulted in the informant again returning with marijuana purchased from Colon, Dissinger said.
Dissinger said the three purchases allowed officers to obtain a search warrant that was executed Saturday with the assistance of Mahanoy Township police and members of the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force.
Colon was taken into custody inside the home and a subsequent search turned up marijuana with an estimated value of $1,000, several types of narcotic pills, drug paraphernalia and a large amount of cash.
The items, Dissinger said, were found inside a rear bedroom on the second floor of the home.
Colon will now have to answer to the charges at a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker, Shenandoah.