Police Arrest IUP Student After Finding Money, Pot Worth More Than $50K
INDIANA (KDKA/AP) — A student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania has been jailed on drug charges after police say they found $15,000 in cash in his car.
Police say the arrest about 3 a.m. Monday of 24-year-old Aaron Gmuca, of Windber, has also uncovered an unspecified connection to New Jersey and that other suspects are expected to be charged.
Investigators say it all happened when an officer noticed his car had some motor vehicle violations.
"They drove from Eastern Pennsylvania/New Jersey five hours to visit a friend for an hour and leave," said officer Patrick Dougherty who pulled over the car.
Police say there were also other people in Gmuca's car, who haven't been charged, when police pulled him over in Indiana Borough.
After finding the cash, police got a search warrant for a residence where Gmuca and the others had just delivered a package.
Police say they found 20 pounds of marijuana worth $50,000 in a car in that garage.
"I don't want to speculate how big or small an operation we're dealing with," said Dougherty. "What we do know is what's before us. We have 20 pounds of marijuana, which is a significant seizure. The street value of this is about $50,000."
Online court records don't list an attorney for Gmuca who faces a preliminary hearing May 22.
Gmuca faces multiple counts of possession with intent to deliver and could face more now because his home is only a few yards from Indiana Middle School.
RELATED LINKS:
More Indiana County News
More Reports by Ross Guidotti
Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter
(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
