According to court documents, the Punxsutawney-based State Police filed the following criminal charges against 23-year-old Brett Alan Batley Jr., of Punxsutawney:
- Manufacture, Delivery, or Possession With Intent to Manufacture or Deliver, Felony
- Marijuana-Small Amount Personal Use, Misdemeanor
- Use/Possession Of Drug Paraphernalia, Misdemeanor
- DUI: Controlled Substance – Schedule 1 – 1st Offense, Misdemeanor
- DUI: Controlled Substance – Impaired Ability – 1st Offense, Misdemeanor (two counts)
- Drive Unregistered Vehicle, Summary
- Operate Vehicle Without Required Financial Responsibility, Summary
- Careless Driving, Summary
According to a criminal complaint, around 4:30 p.m. on January 1, 2019, Corporal Means, of the Punxsutawney-based State Police, was conducting a traffic stop on West Mahoning Street in Punxsutawney near a local beer distributor when he noticed a silver two-door Chevrolet Cobalt drive by with the driver looking straight ahead and gripping the wheel tightly.
Corporal Means then terminated the traffic stop and started to follow the silver vehicle north on North Main Street while performing a query of the vehicle’s registration.
The complaint notes the vehicle’s registration came up as expired. A traffic stop was initiated on Eureka Street, and the driver was informed of the reason for the stop.
According to the complaint, while speaking with the driver, later identified as Brett Alan Batley Jr., Corporal Means detected the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. He asked Batley for his license, registration, and insurance. Both the registration card and the insurance card were expired.
Corporal Means then began to question Batley about the marijuana odor that he noticed. Batley initially denied having any marijuana but then said that he did have marijuana in the vehicle and also admitted that he had smoked prior to driving, according to the complaint.
It was observed that Batley’s eyes were watery and bloodshot, and he had an odor of burnt marijuana around his person.
He was removed from the vehicle, and a search of the vehicle was performed.
According to the complaint, the following was found in Batley’s vehicle:
- $1,511.00 in various denominations consisting mostly of $20 and $100 bills;
- Eight baggies containing marijuana;
- Three glass smoking pipes;
- One metallic grinder;
- One box of sandwich bags;
- Two digital scales;
- One cigarette box containing marijuana residue; and
- Two small plastic ziplock baggies.
The complaint notes that the marijuana was packaged in amounts indicative of sale and distribution.
According to the complaint, Batley indicated that most of the money was either used to buy or sell marijuana.
He was taken into custody and transported to the Punxsutawney Area Hospital for blood testing. A toxicology report from NMS labs received on January 15 indicates that Batley had 11-Hydroxy Delta-9 THC, Delta-9 Carboxy THC, and Delta-9 THC in his system, the complaint states.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:45 a.m. on Tuesday, April 9, with Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock presiding.
A certified summons was issued on January 25.