DA: Middletown man had stockpile of guns, drugs and stolen vehicles
A Middletown man was found with drugs, illegal guns and five stolen vehicles when he was arrested in the township Thursday.
The Bucks County District Attorney's said in a news release Friday that Joseph "Joey" Scott, 37, had 10 handguns, two of which were illegally modified, a bulletproof vest, ammo, crystal methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and other drugs when investigators searched his property in the 2300 block of Durham Road.
Scott, police said, is known to sell drugs in Philadelphia and surrounding counties.
He is charged with dozens of offenses, including possession of drugs with intent to deliver, criminal use of a communications facility, receiving stolen property and unlawful body armor, as well as numerous misdemeanor drug offenses.
Scott was arraigned on his charges Thursday afternoon. District Judge Daniel Baranoski set bail at 10% of $1 million, which Scott was unable to post.
Middletown police, Philadelphia police and members of the Attorney General's Office searched Scott's home after an investigation that began last month in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia police received information that Scott distributes drugs in the city and surrounding counties, according to court documents.
Scott, police said, was prone to violence, regularly carried a concealed firearm around.
Man sentenced in Middletown death:'He was my best friend': Middletown father pleads guilty in child's gun death
Catalytic converters found:Middletown police find 14 catalytic converters during traffic stop amid theft uptick
For subscribers:Cops take us inside search for 'lost boys of Bucks County' that ended in brutal discovery in Solebury
Investigators did three controlled purchases of drugs from Scott, and found that he traveled from his Durham Road home to two separate storage units in Philadelphia, where he stored methamphetamine, according to the DA's office.
Earlier this month, police took an aerial view of photo of Scott's property, and found that he had 18 vehicles there, court documents state. Investigators later received information that Scott was storing some stolen vehicles there, the release states.
On Thursday morning, investigators searched Scott's home and his two storage units.
Inside of one of Scott's vehicles, police found a loaded handgun, live ammunition, a bulletproof vest, $4,700 in cash, two bags containing roughly 97 grams of crystal methamphetamine, scales, suboxone strips and a stolen license plate, according to authorities. Drugs, including Buprehnorphine, suboxone, methadone hydrochloride and pills that are believed to be fentanyl were also found in Scott's home, police allege.
In another vehicle on Scott's property, investigators discovered an untraceable gun, a suppressor attachment and a 12-gauge shotgun, court documents state.
Two Dodge Chargers, a Honda Civic, a BMW and an ATV are the five stolen vehicles that police found on the property, the DA's office said. Numerous stolen catalytic converters were found as well, police said.
Thieves have been targeting catalytic converters because of the rising prices of the metals in the devices, which are located underneath the vehicles. This has been happening for over a year now.
Scott was arrested at his home without incident.
He did not have an attorney listed for him Friday. His preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 28.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Middletown man found with guns, drugs and stolen vehicles, DA says
