Freedom Traffic Stop Lands Man Jail on Drug Charges

A traffic stop in Freedom Township has landed a Duncansville man behind bars facing multiple felony charges.

According to the charges filed by Freedom Township Police, on Dec. 1, a Freedom Township police officer was conducting a stationary patrol along Dunnings Highway and Commerce Lane when a vehicle driven by Dylan J. Skupine, 30, was flagged for having an expired registration.

After pulling Skupine over, police discovered his license was suspended and that he was wanted on two criminal warrants out of Blair County. One warrant for forgery and one was for possession.

After police took Skupine into custody, a search of his person allegedly turned up a small foil pack that contained small pieces of paper with different colored print on them. Police said the items appeared to be Lysergic Acid Diethlamide (LSD). Police also allegedly found a 9 mm bullet in Skupine's pocket and spotted multiple rounds of ammunition inside the vehicle in plain view.

Further search of the vehicle allegedly turned up a safe. When police asked Skupine about the safe, he allegedly said it contained a "couple bricks" of heroin. When police searched the safe, they allegedly found 92 stamp bags containing a white powdery substance that police suspect to be heroin.

Inside the vehicle, police allegedly found a 9 mm handgun, a homemade extended magazine, multiple needles, a scale, multiple knives including a switchblade, a hand-held stun gun, pepper spray and parts to a Glock 42 handgun.

Police said Skupine's criminal history shows he previously plead guilty to felony fleeing and eluding police as well as felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, and that as of July 2019, he is ineligible to own or possess a firearm.

Skupine is facing felony counts of prohibited possession of a firearm, carrying a firearm without a license and possession with intent to deliver, as well as misdemeanor counts of possession and possession and use of drug paraphernalia.

Skupine was arraigned my Martinsburg Magisterial District Judge Andrew Blattenberger and committed to the Blair County Prison in lieu of $40,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for today, Dec. 10, in front of Blattenberger.