Tamaqua police find drugs, syringes in early morning stop

A Lansford man will spend some time in jail after being arrested in Tamaqua early Sunday morning.

Jordan Michael Tessitore, 23, of 209 Patterson St., Lansford, was picked up by Tamaqua Police at 2:44 a.m. at the Fegley Mini Mart, 30-32 Center St.

It started as a call for a suspected drunken driver.

The witness said the vehicle was in the area of the first block of Lafayette Street. In addition to the driver, several male passengers were in the car.

A second caller said the car had traveled east on Broad Street and was turning right to travel south on Center Street.

The Tamaqua officer saw the Saab pull in to the Fegley lot and pull up to one of the gas pumps. All of the occupants went into the convenience store.

The driver, identified as William McCormick, was the first to leave the store.

He began washing the windows of the car. The officer then approached McCormick, who said he was just out for a drive and was washing the windows because they were dirty.

A records check showed his driver's license was suspended.

When asked about his passengers, he suggested "they were just shopping around in the store."

By now, almost 30 minutes had passed since the men got out of the car. The officer looked inside the mini-mart and didn't see anyone other than employees.

The store clerk said the men were in the rest room and had been there for a long time.

When the men came out of the store a short time later, Tessitore was carrying a grocery bag, which he then dropped on the ground near the rear door of the car.

As one officer spoke with the car's occupants, another searched the rest room and found a syringe and an empty wax paper packet stamped "Pink Panther."

The men denied any knowledge of the paraphernalia.

Officers searched the grocery bag and found an open bag of Chex mix. Buried in the mix was a bundle of wax paper packets containing a powdery substance and a small white bag containing loose pills stamped GC/2/4/9. A Pringles chips container in the grocery bag contained 24 bundles of wax paper packets (approximately 240 small packets), all stamped 'Pink Panther."

Under the chip and mix containers was a white box containing an iPad Air and chargers.

McCormick was released and told he would be receiving a citation for driving with a suspended license. The car was towed from the scene.

Tessitore was arrested and transported back to the station. After being read his Miranda Rights, he told police he "found the iPad Air in the bathroom at Fegley's.

He said he didn't know how it got there or who it belonged to, but he decide to grab it.

The packets field tested positive for heroin. The pills were identified as alprazolam.

Tessitore was video arraigned before duty District Magistrate James Kilker on charges of criminal intent to possess a controlled substance with the intent to deliver, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property. Bail was set at $15,000 straight cash.