(Credit: Jay Rembert / Unsplash.com)
An expired registration led to the discovery on Butler Pike
A traffic stop on Butler Pike at Ridge Pike on July 2 led Whitemarsh Township Police to arrest two men on felony drug charges and multiple misdemeanor counts.
Isaac Amir Mejias, 21, and Humberto Roman III, 24, both of Philadelphia, were stopped by Whitemarsh Police, as Mejias was observed driving a silver, two-door Infinity G37 with an expired registration, police said. As police approached and spoke with Mejias, the driver, they noticed a “strong odor of fresh marijuana coming from within the vehicle,” reports state.
Mejias consented to allow police to search his vehicle, police said. Results of the search included a Glock 23 handgun, bullets, three large bags of alleged marijuana, a black scale, three small sealed bags of marijuana, and a small pink bag containing three bags of alleged crack cocaine, said reports.
In total, police reported collecting 427 grams of marijuana and four grams of crack cocaine.
While inspecting the trunk, Whitemarsh police reportedly also recovered multiple manila envelopes with fraudulent Pennsylvania temporary vehicle registrations and six fraudulent PennDOT forms. Neither man took responsibility for any of the contents of the vehicle, according to police.
As Roman, the passenger, was questioned, he told police, according to their reports, that he was named Kahi Roman, and provided his birthdate. As a record search of the name came back empty, police say the only connection the system returned was that of Humberto Roman III, with the same date of birth, who had an active warrant out for his arrest. Police say they confirmed that the PennDOT picture of Humberto Roman III matched the person in the passenger’s seat. Police then detained him on the confirmation of his warrant.
Both men were arrested and placed into custody. During interviews of the two men conducted separately, Mejias admitted to owning the fraudulent documents and tags, stating he “affixes them to vehicles that he sells,” police said.
Mejias was charged with driving an unregistered vehicle, 13 counts of fraudulent title registrations, use or possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts of intentional possession of a controlled substance by a person not registered, and the felony count of manufacturing or delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver.
Roman was charged with an identical felony charge as Mejias, as well as providing false identification to a law enforcement officer, two charges of intentional possession of a controlled substance by a person not registered, and the use or possession of drug paraphernalia.
