CARBONDALE
A Hughestown man faces criminal charges after police said they found 32 grams of drugs hidden in his buttocks on Tuesday.
Acting on a tip about drug sales, officers stopped Jerome Edward Sturdivant, 36, 295 Parsonage St., near Darte Avenue. A police dog smelled drugs in Sturdivant’s vehicle, but officers didn’t find anything, according to the complaint.
Officers saw a white object in his buttocks during a strip search, but Sturdivant denied having anything and wouldn’t allow officers to examine him, police said. Crews took him to Geisinger Community Medical Center for a cavity search, where he agreed to drink a laxative. After about 12 hours, Sturdivant became drowsy and lethargic. Fearing a drug overdose, doctors then searched his rectum, where they found 16 grams of cocaine, six grams of crack, nine grams of MDMA and one gram of marijuana, police said.
Charged with possession with intent to deliver and related charges, Sturdivant remains at Lackawanna County Prison on $100,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday at 9 a.m.
— FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY