According to Minersville Patrolman Jeffrey Bowers, on Friday, Minersville Police were dispatched to the Washington Hotel Apartment 13, for a theft investigation.
Police questioned Melissa Noelle Madeo, 35, of Minersville, concerning a theft.
Stolen items and drug paraphernalia were in plain view inside the apartment, prompting police to place Madeo under arrest.
As police attempted to take Madeo into custody, she continued to resist, to the point Patrolman Bowers was required to taser her in order for her to cooperate and cease resisting.
After Madeo was taken into custody, police found Matthew Hunt, a fugitive wanted by Schuylkill County detectives, hiding underneath clothes inside a closet. Hunt was taken into custody and transferred to detectives.
Later Friday, Police were able to obtain a search warrant and return to Apartment 13. Minersville Police Patrolman Bowers and Patrolman Cody Searfoss recovered checks and personal items belonging to numerous victims of theft in the area.
The officers also recovered clothing and a package that was stolen from a residence on Sunbury Street.
Numerous items of drug paraphernalia including smoking pipes and hypodermic syringes were found throughout the apartment.
Officers also recovered a black/silver box containing a digital scale, prepackaged glassine baggies of a crystalline substance that later tested positive for methamphetamine, packaging materials, spoons and a large quantity of new glassine baggies.
Also seized were forged checks that were written in amounts of $2,575.00.
All the items seized lead police to believe Madeo was involved in a large scale fraud and theft operation involving theft and forgery of checks. Police also believe based on the evidence in the apartment that Madeo was also involved in the trafficking of controlled substances, particularly methamphetamine.
Madeo was taken into custody and is facing charges of possession with intent to manufacture a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, forgery, access device fraud, receiving stolen property, and resisting arrest.
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