FRACKVILLE — State police at Frackville arrested a Mount Carmel man following a five-month investigation of the sales of illegal narcotics.
Charles E. McDowell, 33, of 149 S. Oak St., Apt. B, Mount Carmel, was charged with felony possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance and misdemeanor offenses of possession of a controlled substance-heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He was arraigned Monday by Magisterial District Judge Christina E. Hale, Frackville, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison in lieu of $50,000 straight cash bail.
The charges against McDowell were filed by Trooper Scott Grochowski after an incident about 3:20 p.m. Monday at the Unity Gas Station parking lot, 155 S. Lehigh Ave., Frackville.
Grochowski said McDowell was the subject of a several month investigation and that a confidential informant contacted him and made arrangements to buy two bricks of heroin, 100 individual baggies, at a cost of $225 each or $450 for the entire amount.
Arrangements were made for the informant to meet McDowell at the gas station lot where undercover officers were in place and saw McDowell arriving.
McDowell was detained without incident and several packets of heroin were found in his possession, Grochowski said.
McDowell and his vehicle were taken back to the Frackville barracks and a search warrant obtained from Hale a short time later.
A subsequent search of McDowell’s vehicle uncovered amounts of suspected heroin, an empty glassine baggie marked “Zombie” and two hypodermic needles.
The officer also said investigators found 15 baggies of suspected heroin in McDowell’s jacket.
After being read his rights, Grochowski said McDowell admitted he planned to deliver the heroin to another person and made arrangements to meet at the gas station lot.
McDowell will now have to answer the charges before Hale in her Frackville courtroom.