Latrobe police accuse driver of possession of large amount of ‘raw’ fentanyl after DUI stop
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A Cook Township man pulled over in Latrobe for suspicion of driving under the influence was charged with drug possession after police say they found two plastic bags containing powerful “raw fentanyl,” according to court records.
Brian L. Mote, 36, of 4183 Main St. in the village of Stahlstown, is charged with multiple counts of possession of fentanyl and heroin, possession with intent to deliver fentanyl and heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia and DUI after the traffic stop along Lloyd Avenue Thursday morning.
Police Officer Matthew Reeves reported that state police dispatchers received a report that a man driving a beige 1991 Mercedes coupe was headed north on Route 981 into Latrobe and “was suspected DUI” after reportedly striking a concrete median along Route 30 in Unity.
Reeves said, when he conducted the traffic stop, Mote drove into the parking lot of Dunk’n Donuts on Lloyd Avenue and immediately began questioning why he was pulled over.
“Mote was slurring his speech and was extremely nervous,” Reeves said.
When he asked Mote to step out of the vehicle, Reeves said Mote had to “use the door of the vehicle to assist himself to keep from falling.”
According to court documents, Reeves said Mote’s car had damage to the left side of the front bumper consistent with a recent collision.
When Reeves asked Mote whether “he took anything today,” he said Mote responded that he was headed home from a Suboxone clinic. Reeves said he conducted a “pat down” search of Mote after he kept reaching into his pants pockets and seized a knife, a spoon with suspected contraband residue consistent with drug use and a butane lighter.
He also seized the two plastic bags containing the capsules of suspected fentanyl.
“The two plastic Baggies contained a total of 58 capsules (containing) raw fentanyl that would have the capability of producing about 900 stamp bags or 18 bricks. This amount of fentanyl is indicative of distribution, not personal use,” Reeves said in court documents.
Reeves said a female passenger in Mote’s car was not charged.
Mote was ordered held in the county jail after failing to post $25,000 bond.
Mote did not have an attorney listed in court documents. According to online court records, Mote has no prior criminal history in Pennsylvania.