LUZERNE – What started as a simple pull-over for a suspended registration plate quickly turned into a big drug and gun bust Saturday evening in Luzerne Borough.
Police stopped a car on Evans Street and soon learned the driver, 39-year-old Kevin Farrell from Hanover Township, was trying to pass himself off with a fake name.
Things escalated fast. Turns out Farrell had an outstanding warrant out of Plymouth Borough for earlier drug and firearm charges. When officers arrested him, they found a loaded handgun hidden on him, along with a bag of suspected controlled pills.
There was also a passenger, Crystal Vega, who police say had a small amount of suspected methamphetamine on her.
With a search warrant in hand, officers went through the vehicle and hit the jackpot: over a quarter-pound of meth, more pills, drug paraphernalia, and about $29,000 in cash.
Farrell is now facing a slew of new charges on top of that warrant—everything from gun violations and drug possession to false ID and traffic offenses. He was arraigned and sent to Luzerne County Correctional Facility.
Vega is expected to face charges as well, police say.