CLEARFIELD – A Clearfield man will be spending up to six years in state prison for selling drugs out of a local hotel room.
Tad Joseph Polites, 34, was charged with various drug offenses after police were tipped off that there were numerous “short-stay” visitors at a hotel room in November.
According to the affidavit, Polites also had an active warrant for a drug offense when police approached the hotel room.
The door was opened by a woman who admitted Polites was in the bathroom. He was ordered to come out, but he made numerous excuses that he was “using the bathroom”. When he did come out, he was immediately taken into custody.
A search of his person uncovered a large crystal methamphetamine rock and a smaller methamphetamine rock.
In the bathroom, the officers found a backpack held drug paraphernalia, three bags with additional large amounts of methamphetamine and drug packaging materials.
The search continued with officers finding digital scales, marijuana, buprenorphine pills and alprazolam pills, brass knuckles and two CO2 pistols with cartridges.
Initially he claimed the drugs were for his personal use and he was not selling them. Later he admitted that he had been making trips to Erie and Ohio to purchase crystal methamphetamine because the prices are cheaper there.
During colloquy court Tuesday, Polites pleaded guilty to manufacture/delivery/possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, prohibited offensive weapon and possession of a controlled substance.
Judge Paul Cherry sentenced him to 21 months to six years in state prison with one-year concurrent probation.
In an additional case, he pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance and public drunkenness. For this, he was given one-year concurrent probation.
