CLEARFIELD – An Osceola Mills man caught with multiple drugs and $7,800 in cash is facing multiple charges.
Benjamin Robert Ritchie, 45, is charged with felony counts of manufacture/delivery/possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal use of criminal use of communication facility and dealing in proceeds of unlawful acts, as well as four misdemeanor counts of intentional possession of a controlled substance, possession of a small amount of marijuana, driving under the influence and four traffic summaries.
Ritchie waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Wednesday during centralized court sending the case on to the county court. His bail was set at $50,000, unsecured.
The criminal complaint details how on July 18, police found a vehicle Ritchie was driving off the road near the Park Avenue exit on the Clearfield Curwensville Highway. It appeared to have front end damage and was leaking fluids. A man, later identified as Ritchie, was picking up pieces of plastic and car parts from the ground.
He was allegedly following the other vehicle, a tool truck, too closely which led to the accident.
As they spoke with Ritchie, he “appeared to be moving quickly and was shaky and did not stop picking up car parts” while talking to the officer, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
A witness told police that she had been following the vehicle down Krebs Highway until the crash occurred. She noted that the vehicle was “all over the road” to the point it almost went completely off the roadway.
Ritchie was unable to provide police with his driver’s license. After a system check, it was discovered his driver’s license was suspended.
Because he was moving his body and arms quickly, Ritchie was asked if he had used any controlled substance. He denied any drug use but said he had taken drugs years ago. He mentioned he was recently arrested for a drug DUI.
Standard field sobriety tests were administered to Ritchie which he reportedly failed.
The vehicle needed to be towed and Ritchie was advised it would be searched. He stated that there wasn’t anything illegal in it, then said there might be something. He gave permission for the search.
Police say they found under the driver’s seat, a large smoking device with white crystal residue, a silver metal smoking device with burnt marijuana in the bowl, a cell phone and another smoking device with burnt marijuana.
In the trunk were two black boxes. Inside the boxes, according to authorities, they located a bag with 57.9 grams of methamphetamine, a bag with 5.9 grams of crack cocaine, a glass container with 4.1 grams of marijuana, a container of hemp seeds, a bag of marijuana weighing 4.9 grams, packaging materials with white crystal residue, various pills, a scale, six small bags of marijuana, a bag with 4.9 grams of marijuana, additional smoking devices, syringes, lighters, a knife and $7,800 in cash.
A passenger in the vehicle had a grinder with a small amount of marijuana and Klonopin pill which were seized.
After Ritchie was taken into custody and searched, he was found to have $54 in cash and a sheathed knife. He was transported to Penn Highland’s Clearfield for a blood draw.
In an interview with investigators, Ritchie said he was “trying to make some money” but said this was his own supply and denied selling for another person. He did admit that he had traveled to “near Philly” and found someone who sold drugs.
He denied making a trip on that day. When asked why he was driving around with it in his car, he said he didn’t want it in his house.
He claimed he gave an unknown man “a couple hundred bucks” for the bag.
Blood test results revealed Ritchie was under the influence of methamphetamine, amphetamine, benzoylecgonine, and THC, according to the report.
The phone was examined and photos found of several large bags of alleged controlled substances. One photo reportedly displays a weight of 205.59 grams and the other 203.46 grams. Both were tagged with the location of Osceola Mills.
Investigators say messages on the phone indicated Ritchie was supplying several individuals with controlled substances. A cash application had records of people providing Ritchie with hundreds of dollars, for several days in a row, according to the report.
