An Ohio man faces a felony drug delivery charge after police say he picked up seven pounds of marijuana that had been shipped to a Langhorne home Thursday morning.
Thomas Weaver, 49, of Northwood, repeatedly denied any involvement in the drug shipment, saying he stopped at the home where the package was delivered to check his GPS device, according to court documents.
Langhorne police and the Bucks County detectives set up surveillance at a home in the 100 block of National Avenue Thursday morning after U.S. Postal Inspection Service alerted authorities that a Priority Mail package containing the marijuana was scheduled to be delivered there. Postal inspectors said the package was shipped from California and the sender’s name on the return address was false, according to court documents.
Shortly before 11 a.m. Thursday, the package was delivered to the National Avenue home. A postal worker knocked on the door, but there was no answer, so the package was left on the front step, police said. About 10 minute later, Weaver arrived at the home, brought the package into the enclosed porch, and left a short time later, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Police stopped Weaver about a block away and took him into custody. After initially denying he was at the house, police said that Weaver admitted to being at the house at least once and identified its owner as "Harry."
Police obtained a search warrant and said they found the package on the home’s front porch marked “Return to Sender” in black felt-tip pen. Weaver had a black felt tip marker in his pocket when he was arrested, the affidavit said.
The home was kept under surveillance during the traffic stop with Weaver and no one left or entered it, according to police. No one was home either when police returned to the home and executed a search warrant where they found an undisclosed amount of marijuana and hashish, digital scales and packaging materials that are associated with drugs.
The home backs up to the Langhorne Presbyterian Church, which runs a daycare center. That means the transaction occurred within a school zone, which carries greater penalties than a drug delivery charge would merit otherwise.
Langhorne police Chief Steven Mawinney said he believes the package of pot was addressed to a fictitious person at the National Avenue address. Mawinney said police questioned the home’s resident, who denied knowing Weaver was at the house. There's no indication whether the homeowner knows Weaver.
Weaver was arraigned Thursday night before District Judge Daniel Baranoski on a felony charge of drug delivery. He was sent to Bucks County prison in lieu of 10 percent of $75,000 bail.
The ongoing investigation will be handled by Bucks County Detectives, Mawinney said.
Jo Ciavaglia: 215-949-4181; email: jciavaglia@calkins.com; Twitter: @jociavaglia
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