CLEARFIELD – A Clearfield man is facing charges after allegedly being found in a hotel room with a large quantity of crystal methamphetamine.
Tad Joseph Polites, 34, has been charged by Officer Zachary S. Cowan of the Lawrence Township police with felony manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver.
He’s also been charged with misdemeanor make, repairs/sell, etc. offensive weapon, intentional possession of controlled substance and related offenses.
Polites waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday during centralized court at the Clearfield County Jail. His bail is set at $50,000 monetary.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, at 3:59 p.m. Nov. 25, Cowan and Officer Elliott Neeper went to the Red Roof Inn, Clearfield, to follow up on a report of a wanted person.
While on-scene, it was learned there had been “short-stay” traffic and numerous visitors at room 212 the previous day. The room was being rented by Polites and Samantha Weber, 23, of Clearfield.
Cowan discovered Polites was wanted by both the township police and Clearfield County Domestic Relations. Weber was also wanted in Clinton County for failure to respond to a traffic citation.
At the room, officers first made contact with Weber, who said Polites was in the bathroom and that she would get him. However, he didn’t come out immediately, and had to be ordered out.
When Polites finally exited the bathroom, he was taken into custody, at which point Cowan conducted a routine search of his person.
The officer reportedly found a glass vial in Polites’ right pocket containing one large and one small rock of crystal methamphetamine.
Cowan then turned custody of Polites over to Neeper, so he could make sure there wasn’t anyone else hiding within the bathroom.
Inside he saw a backpack and because it was open, he saw some contents, such as a marijuana pipe with residue and a bag with approximately one “eight ball” of crystal methamphetamine.
Polites confirmed the backpack belonged to him, and he granted Cowan permission to search it, which reportedly turned up two more bags containing a large amount of crystal methamphetamine.
There were reportedly approximately 50 unused Ziploc bags; a bag displaying “1g” in permanent marker; a digital scale with residue; and five, individual bags with small amounts of marijuana.
Also found were: a bag with five buprenorphine and two alprazolam pills; two small vials with residue; a bag with an unknown brown residue; and a pair of brass knuckles, according to the affidavit.
After BBs and CO2 cartridges were found in the backpack, Cowan received permission from Polites to retrieve the loaded CO2 pistol from a nightstand in the room.
Following a second search of the bathroom, Cowan found a large glass smoking bong with residue behind the toilet. In the main room, Polites permitted the officer to search his other belongings.
Cowan reportedly found another CO2 pistol; three more digital scales; and six more smoking devices, all of which contained residue.
Polites denied he sold drugs and claimed they were for his personal use but did eventually admit he made trips to the Erie and Ohio area where prices for crystal methamphetamine are cheaper.
Both locations are common “hubs” for the purchase of large quantities of the drug, said Cowan, noting Polites declined to provide further information.
Weber was subsequently housed in Clearfield County Jail by the Adult Probation Department, and Polites was housed on outstanding warrants.
At the jail, Polites granted Neeper consent to search his cellular phone, which was seized, turned to airplane mode and then turned completely off for further investigation.
