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First Posted: 8/22/2013
BEAR CREEK TWP. — Three men from Philadelphia were arrested on drug and firearm offenses after a traffic stop for alleged speeding through a construction zone on the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Anton Larry Bennett, 27, Malachi Bennett, 25, and Jamel Clark, 40, all related to one another, were arraigned Thursday.
State police allege they found a loaded .357 revolver, 419 heroin packets with a street value of $8,600 and 22 plastic containers filled with packaged bags of marijuana inside a Chevrolet SUV that was stopped for traveling 57 mph in a 45 mph construction zone on the turnpike Wednesday night.
Anton Bennett, who was driving the Chevrolet, stopped on state Route 115.
According to the criminal complaint, this is how things unfolded:
A trooper approached the vehicle and detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from it. Anton Bennett told state police he was on his way to Plymouth to see his cousin, while Clark said they were going to see a friend in Wilkes-Barre.
Neither of the two men knew the addresses to where they were going.
Anton Bennett told the trooper there was a small amount of marijuana in a cup holder inside the vehicle.
More troopers arrived assist as a records check showed Anton Bennett has prior drug and gun convictions.
A search allegedly resulted in the seizure of a loaded .357-caliber revolver and three large bags containing suspected heroin packets hidden behind the glove compartment, and 22 plastic containers filled with marijuana on the back seat.
The three men were charged with multiple counts of drug and gun offenses, and each was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $50,000 bail.