CLEARFIELD – A Clearfield man found in possession of a large amount of drugs was sentenced to state prison Monday during colloquy court.
Police say Joshua Douglas McLaughlin, 31, was found by state parole agents with drugs at a motel in Lawrence Township on Sept. 12.
A search of the room uncovered a total of 186.9 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 65.1 grams of Fentanyl and 3.6 grams of carfentanyl, according to the criminal complaint.
On Monday, Deputy District Attorney Trudy Lumadue asked President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman to give a maximum sentence of 20 years in this case due to the amount of Fentanyl he possessed, which she stated District Attorney Ryan Sayers told her, could kill 30,000 people.
McLaughlin’s attorney, Jendi Schwab argued for a 12-year maximum sentence, stating that McLaughlin is also going to receive a revocation sentence of up to eight years in addition to this sentence.
Ammerman sentenced McLaughlin to serve 36 months to 12 years in state prison with an additional 12 months of re-entry supervision for one felony count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, police were called to the motel to assist state parole agents who had already found methamphetamine and other pills in plain view.
At first, McLaughlin said the drugs belonged to a woman who was found with him in the room, but later he admitted he rented the room and all the controlled substances found belonged to him.
After police found a brass knuckle knife and more meth, McLaughlin ran out, causing the officers to chase him on foot. He was tased several times before they were able to take him into custody.
He consented to a search of the room where multiple bags of drugs were located.
McLaughlin told officers he obtained some of the items by “robbing” another drug dealer.