Police: Punxsy Man Busted for Possession of Meth

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (EYT) – Police say a Punxsutawney man is facing drug charges for possessing methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

According to court documents, the Punxsutawney Borough Police Department filed the following criminal charges against 27-year-old Dennis Michael Coombs, of Punxsutawney, in Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock’s office on January 13:

– Manufacture, Delivery, or Possession With Intent to Manufacture or Deliver, Felony
– Intentional Possession Controlled Substance By Person Not Registered, Misdemeanor
– Use/Possession Of Drug Paraphernalia, Misdemeanor

According to a criminal complaint released on January 17, 2023, a Punxsutawney Borough Police officer received a call from a Pa. State Parole Agent on December 6, 2022, asking for assistance at an apartment on Mahoning Street, in the Borough of Punxsutawney, Jefferson County.

When the officer arrived, the parole agent was already inside. Also in the apartment were three known individuals and Dennis Michael Coombs. Coombs and his girlfriend were staying at the apartment with the other couple, occupying the front bedroom.

Inside the bedroom “on the floor and dresser were random smoking pipes with residue.” The parole agent asked the officer to watch the individuals as she searched the rest of the apartment, according to the complaint.

According to the complaint, the following items were recovered from the front bedroom:

• 16.93 grams of crystal methamphetamine;
• 19 miscellaneous smoking pipes with residue;
• 14 miscellaneous storage containers containing the smoking pipes, with meth and/or marijuana residue;
• 87 new/used empty Ziplock bags, some with methamphetamine residue;
• 1 digital scale and a grinder with marijuana residue;
• 27 1/2 white oval pills;
• 24 white round pills;
• 3 blue round pills;

At the time the report was issued, the pills were unknown, but were suspected to be controlled substances. They were each packaged in small ziplock bags, and they were stored in the empty ziplock bag, the complaint states.

Coombs and the above items were taken into custody.

The complaint states that Coombs was read his Miranda rights, and he agreed to talk to the officer. Coombs stated that he owns everything in the front room. He said his dad died and his step-mother “threw him out of the house.” He said he did not realize he had all of the items that were seized. He said they’re all his, but didn’t realize he had that many.

“As to the meth, he stated that he got some of the chunks for doing motor work for a friend of his, however, he would not disclose the friend,” the complaint notes.

A date for a preliminary hearing has not yet been set.