Traffic stop leads to host of felony drug charges
staff report
POLAND — A traffic stop for an unlighted license plate led to a slew of charges against a Youngstown man.
Village police stopped the truck driven by Joseph M. Carlson, 35, of High Street, around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday on U.S. Route 224 near state Route 616.
Chief Russell Beatty Jr. said two loaded handguns; 93 pills that included suspected Ecstasy and Vicodin; 350 grams of suspected marijuana, including some that were packaged for sale; scales; a police scanner; more than $2,600 cash; and a book with instructions for growing “magic mushrooms,” a hallucinogenic, were found in the car.
He was charged with a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia and six felonies.
The felony charges are four counts of possession and one count each of carrying a concealed weapon and trafficking in drugs.
Police officers asked Carlson to get out of the car when they saw a holster near the truck’s door. Carlson then told one of the officers that he had a gun and reached toward his back pocket, a police report said.
Police called for a K9 unit from Boardman, and the dog alerted to the side of the truck.
Beatty said the suspected drugs were found in a backpack in the truck.
Carlson was released from jail after posting bond. His trial is set for April 29 in Struthers Municipal Court.