POTTSVILLE — A Pottsville man is facing felony drug charges after police say an investigation at a Mahantongo Street residence led to the discovery of suspected fentanyl, methamphetamine and drug-packaging materials.
Steven Michael Diaz, 47, of Pottsville, has been charged with two felony counts of manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver. He also faces three misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Court records list the alleged offenses as occurring on .
Police Describe Mahantongo Street Investigation
According to an affidavit of probable cause filed by Pottsville Police Officer Michael Messner, officers were conducting a wanted-person investigation at approximately 12:57 a.m. September 18 at a residence in the 500 block of Mahantongo Street.
Police said a tenant told officers that Diaz was upstairs and was known to be involved in drug activity. After receiving consent to enter the second floor, officers located Diaz in a rear bedroom, according to the affidavit.
Police allege Diaz initially pretended to be asleep. While speaking with him, an officer reported seeing a glass smoking pipe commonly used for methamphetamine within arm’s reach of Diaz.
According to the affidavit, Diaz denied that the pipe belonged to him but told police that shoes lying near it were his. When Diaz stood from the bed, police said they observed a knotted plastic bag protruding from his pants pocket.
Police suspected the bag contained fentanyl pills. The affidavit states that Diaz initially claimed someone had planted the bag on him before later allegedly acknowledging that the items were his.
Officers then received consent from the tenant to search the bedroom for additional controlled substances, according to the affidavit.
Police List Drugs and Packaging Materials
Police said they found a black tray beneath shoes near the area where the smoking pipe had been observed.
According to the affidavit, the tray contained a small clear plastic tray holding a bulk crystal substance, a silver digital scale with crystal residue, 24 unused resealable bags, five used resealable bags containing residue and two small bags containing vegetable matter.
A second black digital scale was allegedly found on a closet shelf.
Police said the knotted bag found on Diaz contained 26 suspected fentanyl pills. Officers also reported recovering four resealable bags containing a white powder suspected of being fentanyl.
Field Tests and Reported Weights
According to police, field testing produced positive results for fentanyl in a portion of the pills and the white powder.
The affidavit lists the following approximate weights:
- Suspected fentanyl pills: 3.82 grams combined
- Suspected fentanyl powder: 0.46 grams combined
- Methamphetamine: 11.97 grams
- THC-containing vegetable matter: 1.62 grams
Police said the crystal substance tested positive for methamphetamine and the vegetable matter tested positive for THC.
Based on the quantities and the manner in which the substances and packaging materials were allegedly found, police said they believed the drugs were being packaged for sale.
Charges Filed Against Diaz
The criminal complaint was filed on , before Magisterial District Judge James Reiley.
As of publication, Diaz had not been arraigned on the charges.
All charges are allegations. Diaz is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.