City police arrested two Scranton men on drug charges after spotting them acting suspiciously in the parking lot of Turkey Hill on Mulberry Street, according to a criminal complaint.
John Mark Adkins, 60, faces felony charges of using a cellphone to facilitate a drug deal and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.
James Arnold McClain, 56, faces misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.
According to the criminal complaint:
Officers were on patrol near the convenience store at Mulberry Street and Prescott Avenue at about 4 p.m. on Jan. 30 when they noticed the two men standing outside the entrance. When the men spotted the patrol vehicle, they immediately went inside the store.
The two soon came out of the store and turned their backs on officers, then crossed Mulberry Street outside of the marked crosswalks. Both men were smoking cigarettes and dropping ashes on the ground.
As officers approached the men and began speaking with them, McClain began laughing nervously.
When asked where they were going, Adkins said to CVS, but McClain didn’t say anything and didn’t make eye contact with officers.
When Officer Nicholas Brett asked Adkins how he knew McClain, Adkins said through a friend.
When asked when the last time was that he used a controlled substance, Adkins said, “about a month ago.”
Brett asked Adkins if he had anything illegal on him, and Adkins at first said he didn’t. When Brett asked him again, Adkins admitted having a loaded syringe in his bag.
Under questioning, McClain, who said his drug of choice was methamphetamine, eventually admitted to having “stuff” on him and pointed to his right breast pocket. He removed a cigarette box from the pocket and placed it on the hood of the police vehicle.
Officers then searched Adkins’ bag and found a glass pipe with residue, a silver spoon with residue, a metal grinder, two baggies containing cocaine, 33 clear baggies commonly used to package cocaine and a digital scale.
Officers searched Adkins’ cellphone and found numerous incriminating messages indicating he was selling narcotics.
Officers noted Adkins had texted, “Cop sitting at Mulberry, right across from Turkey Hill.”
Adkins told officers he sold drugs to fuel a meth addiction. He said he got $20 to $40 for a bag of meth.
Adkins’ preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 12 before District Judge Alyce Farrell. He remains at Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail.
McClain’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Feb. 10 before Farrell. He remains at Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $5,00 bail.