Cops: Monessen man tried to hide crack cocaine, M-80 'in his buttocks'

A Monessen man pulled over Tuesday near Smithton over equipment violations apparently tried to hide crack cocaine and a powerful firecracker from two state troopers approaching his car, according to court documents.

James Anthony Hayes’ plan didn’t work.

A small baggie with the suspected drugs and an M-80 were discovered “hidden in his buttocks” during a later search, Trooper Austin Weaver reported.

“Hayes admitted he concealed the M-80 in his buttocks, too, because he believed it to be illegal,” Weaver wrote in court documents filed before East Huntingdon District Judge Charles Moore.

Hayes, 28, was arraigned Wednesday before Moore on charges of illegal possession of crack cocaine, illegal possession of Suboxone, possession of a weapon of mass destruction, possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of drug paraphernalia and tampering with physical evidence after the 10:53 a.m. traffic stop on Dutch Hollow Road near the Route 981 intersection.

Weaver reported Hayes was pulled over in a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze after troopers noticed a front headlight “was completely out” and the window tint on his vehicle was deemed too dark under state law.

In addition to the crack and firework, police separately discovered a black bag containing 12 Suboxone strips and a glass smoking pipe in the backseat, Weaver said. Troopers also confiscated $637 discovered under the front seat.

Later, troopers discovered another plastic baggie nearby with “small white pebbles” consistent with crack outside the patrol car where Hayes was seated after being taken into custody.

Weaver said after the crack residue was discovered near the patrol car, Hayes experienced a medical emergency and was taken by ambulance to Monongahela Valley Hospital in Washington County.

“While there, he admitted to the hospital staff that he had consumed crack cocaine,” Weaver reported.

Hayes also was wanted by state police in Greensburg on charges of driving under the influence of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving on a suspended license following a 1:26 a.m. June 2 traffic stop on Route 31 in East Huntingdon Township.

Moore ordered Hayes to the county prison on $50,000 bail pending a preliminary hearing Aug. 14.

Though Pennsylvania broadened its fireworks law in 2017 to make more products legal, explosive devices such as M-80s, M-100s and cherry bombs remain illegal under federal law.