Jim Thorpe woman accused of selling drugs

A Jim Thorpe woman has been charged with selling drugs after an investigation by the borough police department, agents of the Attorney General’s office and the Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and Drug Control.

Tammy Christman, 49, faces charges on four counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, and one count of possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) with intent to deliver.

According to an affidavit of probable cause filed by patrolman Matthew Schwarz of the Jim Thorpe Police Department:

Over the past year, Schwarz received information from various confidential informants, and cooperating witnesses, regarding illegal drug sales occurring in and around the borough, the affidavit says.

The informants said that Christman is selling methamphetamine, as well as marijuana, cocaine, and other drugs.

That information was verified by several unrelated informants, as well as several concerned citizen complaints, as well as drug tip hotline emails.

Schwarz last received outside information regarding Christman selling drugs on June 23 from the Carbon Drug Tip Hotline, confirmed by a confidential informant that was utilized in the week of July 13.

Christman is employed in the service sector, and often uses her various venues of employment as meeting points to make illegal drug transactions. She often travels by foot and uses her cellphone to arrange drug deals.

Between July 13-18, Schwarz arranged for a confidential informant to purchase methamphetamine from Christman.

The confidential informant met with Christman on Onoko Lane and made the exchange under constant surveillance by patrolman Brian Horos.

The confidential informant immediately turned over a quantity of suspected methamphetamine.

Other suspects

On July 20, a drug operation centered on two suspects who met with Christman at her residence.

The suspects, who have not been charged to date, parked briefly in the area of Christman’s residence before attempting to sell heroin to a local customer.

Police stopped them from making the sale.

Shortly after completing the call, Schwarz learned from a confidential source that Christman was meeting the suspect at the car, expecting to pick up the earlier scheduled delivery of methamphetamine.

Schwarz then enlisted Detective Lee Marzen, who encountered the car, with Christman in the passenger seat.

Both Christman and the man walked inside the station, and Christman set her purse down on the ground and rifled through it. Schwarz noticed an open pouch with a wooden marijuana bowl, and a plastic container containing 1 milligram of clonazepam.

Christman was placed under arrest, and a subsequent search of her purse yielded a metal tin containing a metal marijuana bowl, metal “1 hitter” bowl, a metal “tootler,” and one acetaminophen/codeine pill.

Christman said she does not possess a prescription for either.

Christman is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing at 1:30 p.m. Nov. 8 before District Judge Eric Schrantz of Jim Thorpe.

She is currently in the Carbon County Correctional Facility in lieu of $5,000 straight bail.