PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (EYT) – A Punxsutawney man who was recently charged in two other incidents is now facing additional charges in relation to the sale of methamphetamine, cocaine, and stolen guns.
Court documents indicate the Punxsutawney-based State Police filed criminal charges against 21-year-old Drew Maines, of Punxsutawney, related to multiple cases.
First Controlled Methamphetamine Purchase
According to a criminal complaint, around 2:45 p.m. on September 9, 2019, Trooper Rupp of the Punxsutawney-based State Police contacted a confidential informant (CI) by phone after receiving information that the CI was able to purchase methamphetamine from Drew Maines in Punxsutawney Borough.
According to the complaint, the CI then contacted Maines via Facebook Messenger and was able to arrange the purchase of methamphetamine for $300 and cocaine for $250, with the exchange to take place the following day.
On September 10, the CI arrived at a Cherry Street location agreed upon by Maines and knocked at the door, then entered the residence. The complaint notes the CI exited the same door approximately four minutes later and turned two small green ziplock baggies over to Trooper Rupp. According to the complaint, one baggie contained what appeared to be methamphetamine, and the other contained what appeared to be cocaine.
The complaint states the CI reported he/she dealt directly with Maines for the purchase of methamphetamine and cocaine.
The substances were then weighted, and NIC tested before being entered into evidence. According to the complaint, the one baggie contained 5.1 grams of a substance that tested positive for methamphetamine, and the other contained 3.7 grams of a substance that tested positive for cocaine.
Based on the investigation, the following charges were filed against Maines on Thursday, January 23, through Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock’s office:
– Manufacture, Delivery, or Possession With Intent to Manufacture or Deliver, Felony
– Criminal Use Of Communication Facility, Felony 3
– Possession of Controlled Substance, Misdemeanor
Second Controlled Methamphetamine Purchase
According to a criminal complaint, around 9:35 a.m. on September 16, 2019, Trooper Rupp contacted a confidential informant (CI) by text message to arrange a second purchase from Drew Maines. The CI then contacted Maines and was able to arrange the purchase of an ounce of methamphetamine for $1,000, to take place on September 17 at an address on Cherry Street in Punxsutawney. It was arranged that an undercover officer would accompany the CI into the residence and act as the actual buyer of the methamphetamine.
The complaint notes on September 16, around 3:30 p.m., the CI contacted Trooper Rupp and reported Maines had been in contact with him/her to say the methamphetamine they planned to purchase was cut with fentanyl.
On September 17, the CI and the undercover officer proceeded to the Cherry Street residence and knocked at the door. According to the complaint, they were permitted entry by an unknown juvenile female, and then walked through the kitchen to the living room, where Maines was sitting on a couch, and the unnamed homeowner was sitting on a mattress that was laying on the floor in the corner of the room.
The complaint notes a dark-colored backpack, which the CI later said belonged to Maines and was used for transporting drugs, was lying on the floor beside Maines’s right leg.
According to the complaint, when they entered the room, Maines almost immediately produced a clear ziplock baggie containing suspected methamphetamine from the front left pocket of his shorts and handed it to the undercover trooper. The undercover officer then handed Maines $1,000 in confidential State Police funds. The officer also asked Maines about the amount of fentanyl contained in the methamphetamine under the guise of being concerned with accidental overdose. Maines alleged stated he “didn’t believe there was a whole lot of fentanyl” in the methamphetamine, and said “overdoses shouldn’t be an issue” unless a user “overdid it.”
The CI and the undercover officer exited the residence a short time later, according to the complaint.
The complaint notes the substance was later weighed and found to be 22.5 grams. It was not NIC tested due to the potential it contained fentanyl and was instead forwarded to the PSP Erie Regional laboratory for analysis.
Based on the investigation, the following charges were filed against Maines on Thursday, January 23, through Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock’s office:
– Manufacture, Delivery, or Possession With Intent to Manufacture or Deliver, Felony
– Criminal Use Of Communication Facility, Felony 3
– Possession of Controlled Substance, Misdemeanor
Third Controlled Methamphetamine Purchase
According to a criminal complaint, around 1:30 p.m. on November 4, 2019, an undercover officer contacted Drew Maines by text message to arrange the purchase of methamphetamine in Punxsutawney, and was able to arrange the purchase of “two 8-balls of methamphetamine” for $250, to take place on November 7 at an address on Cherry Street in Punxsutawney.
According to the complaint, the officer arrived at the location around 10:20 a.m. on November 7 and knocked on the door. The homeowner then opened the door and advised that Drew Maines was not at the residence. However, she allowed the officer inside while she attempted to message and call Maines.
The complaint notes after several minutes of failed attempts to contact Maines, the officer left the residence. He then received a message from Maines stating he was in the process of obtaining the methamphetamine from his source and would be in touch “when he was able to do the deal.” Arrangements were then made for the officer to meet Maines at a convenience store in Punxsutawney Borough.
The officer arrived at the store about 1:00 p.m. and called Maines to say what he was driving and where he was parked. According to the complaint, Maines appeared on foot while the officer was on the phone with him and then entered the front passenger seat of the undercover vehicle and placed the backpack he had been carrying on the passenger side floor. Maines then allegedly handed the officer a ziplock baggie, with an orange skull picture on the bag, containing suspected methamphetamine, and the officer provided Maines with $350 in confidential State Police funds. Maines then requested a ride back to the Cherry Street residence, due to the weather, and the officer drove him back and dropped him off.
The baggie of suspected methamphetamine was transported to the Punxsutawney-based State Police barracks, where it was photographed, weighed, NIC tested, and entered into evidence. The substance weighed 7.9 grams and tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the complaint.
Based on the investigation, the following charges were filed against Maines on Thursday, January 23, through Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock’s office:
– Manufacture, Delivery, or Possession With Intent to Manufacture or Deliver, Felony
– Criminal Use Of Communication Facility, Felony 3
Controlled Purchase of Firearm and Methamphetamine
According to a criminal complaint, on November 14, 2019, an undercover officer purchased a stolen AR-15 style rifle from Drew Maines at a residence in Punxsutawney Borough. The complaint states following the purchase of the rifle, the undercover officer also made arrangements to purchase an “8-ball” of methamphetamine from Maines at a public park the following day.
Maines was then taken into custody on November 15, prior to the officer’s arrival at the meeting location. According to the complaint, Maines was found to be in possession of two baggies containing suspected methamphetamine, a digital scale, and multiple small empty ziplock baggies, identical to one of the baggies containing suspected methamphetamine.
The complaint notes both of the baggies of substance were NIC tested, and tested positive for methamphetamine.
Based on the investigation, the following charges were filed against Maines on Thursday, January 23, through Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock’s office:
– Manufacture, Delivery, or Possession With Intent to Manufacture or Deliver, Felony
– Criminal Use Of Communication Facility, Felony 3
– Possession of Controlled Substance, Misdemeanor
Investigation and Search of Residence
According to a criminal complaint, on September 10, a burglary was reported at a residence in Green Township during which a Palmetto State Armory Ar-15, a Vortex Strike Eagle Scope, a green 12 gauge Mossberg 500 shotgun with a skull design on it, and a 20 gauge Mossberg shotgun with a light brown wooden stock were taken.
According to the complaint, during the course of the investigation, 20-year-old Brandon Henry Wolfe became a suspect and was ultimately arrested for the burglary.
Wolfe was then interviewed by police. During the interview, Wolfe allegedly admitted to entering the Green Township residence on two separate occasions, during which he took the guns.
The complaint notes Wolfe told police during the first entry, he took the Palmetto AR-15 and took it to Punxsutawney, where he traded it to Drew Patrick Maines for a “ball” of methamphetamine. He went on to report that after he went back and took the other guns, he also transported them to Maines for an additional two and a half “balls” of methamphetamine.
According to the complaint, in a second, later interview, Wolfe told police Maines was known to sell drugs at a residence on Cherry Street in Punxsutawney Borough, and stated that the last time he spoke to Maines, he was under the impression that Maines was still in possession of the guns.
The complaint stated on November 14, an undercover officer purchased the stolen Palmetto State Armory AR-15 style rifle from Maines at a residence in Punxsutawney Borough.
On November 15, Maines was taken into custody for the sale of the stolen rifle. According to the complaint, during an interview, Maines gave information that the stolen Mossberg 500 .20 gauge shotgun was located in the corner of his bedroom at his residence on Calvary Lane in Young Township.
Around 1:00 p.m. on November 15, a search warrant was executed at Maine’s residence. The complaint states that in the course of the search, the following items were recovered in Maine’s bedroom:
– the Mossberg 500 shotgun,
– a Vortex Strike Eagle rifle scope (that had been attached to the Palmetto rifle when it was stolen),
– a glass smoking pipe, and
– a digital scale.
The items were all transported to the Punxsutawney-based State Police barracks and entered into evidence.
Based on the investigation, the following charges were filed against Maines on Thursday, January 23, through Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock’s office:
– Receiving Stolen Property, Felony 2
– Use/Possession Of Drug Paraphernalia, Misdemeanor
– Receiving Stolen Property, Misdemeanor 1
Hearings for the cases have not yet been scheduled.
Maines is currently lodged in the Jefferson County Jail pending $100,000.00 (10%) bail on a previous related case.
Court documents indicate Maines is also facing a hearing at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, February 3, on charges related to a break-in in the Brookville area.
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