DUBOIS – Two Brockway men face drug charges after police allegedly found over 100 bags of heroin in their vehicle after a routine traffic stop.
Tristen L. Shugar, 20, and Justin Lee Prave, 21, were charged by DuBois City police after an incident March 29 near West DuBois Avenue.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, on March 19 at 1 a.m., an officer saw a vehicle approaching him without any headlights. The vehicle was stopped and the driver was identified as Shugar.
After checking his registration and driver’s license, which were valid, the officer noticed a small, silver and black metal piece lying in a cup holder in the back seat. This is the type of device known as a “one-hitter” used for inhaling drugs, he noted.
The officer then asked Shugar what it was and Shugar allegedly confirmed it was used for smoking marijuana. He was asked to step out of the car.
Two other officers arrived on the scene to assist the first officer. They stayed with the passenger, Prave, while he searched Shugar.
The report stated the officer found a bundle of heroin stamp bags in Shugar’s pocket. Shugar was placed under arrest and put into the patrol car.
Prave was asked to step out of the car also. As he did, a razor blade fell off his lap. When he was searched, police said they found 10 more bags of heroin, four empty bags of heroin, a grinder with marijuana residue, and another foil “one hitter” with residue.
A search of the vehicle revealed 130 stamp bags of heroin with the markings “MJ,” a container with three razor blades in it, two empty stamp bags, and a mason jar with 0.03 ounces of marijuana, according to the complaint. Prave later admitted the marijuana belonged to him, the report said.
In his interview with police, Shugar stated he had just dropped off a friend and was heading home when his vehicle was stopped. He allegedly admitted he and Prave were on their way back from Pittsburgh where he had purchased the heroin. Prave was aware the sole purpose of the trip was to get heroin, Shugar said.
Shugar is charged with a felony count of manufacture/delivery/possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, a felony count of criminal conspiracy, and misdemeanor counts of intentional possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, as well as a traffic summary.
Prave is charged with a felony count of criminal conspiracy-manufacture/delivery/possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, and misdemeanor counts of intentional possession of a controlled substance, possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Their preliminary hearings are scheduled for April 28 at 10 a.m. during centralized court at District Judge Patrick Ford’s office.
