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<p>KINGSTON TWP. &#8212; Three Back Mountain residents were taken into custody after a routine car stop turned into arrests for drugs and a gun early Tuesday, police say.</p><p>Matthew Edward Minnelli, 21, of Harding, Renee Elie Cobb, 24, of Trucksville, and Joshua Cody Armes, 22, of Wyoming, were arrested by township police after they allegedly had marijuana and crystal meth along with other drug paraphernalia in a vehicle with an expired registration.</p><p>In addition, police said a handgun was found in Cobb&#8217;s purse.</p><p>According to a criminal complaint:</p><p>A township officer responded to the Sheetz gas station, 1240 South Memorial Highway, for a report about a silver Chevrolet sedan with expired emission and registration stickers.</p><p>The officer followed the car to Harris Hill Road and conducted a stop near the Echo Valley Trailer Park after observing its muffler hanging low to the ground.</p><p>Minnelli&#8217;s inspection and emission stickers expired in December 2017.</p><p>While speaking to his passengers, the officer noticed they all appeared to be nervous while they fidgeted and tapped their hands and legs.</p><p>When speaking with Minnelli, the officer saw a plastic bag with a knot at the top sticking out of the vehicle&#8217;s middle console. Such bags are commonly associated with narcotics packaging.</p><p>The officer told Minnelli he smelled a marijuana odor coming from his vehicle and asked him to step outside.</p><p>Minnelli admitted he had a pot grinder in his middle console. A search also revealed a glass bong.</p><p>A search of Cobb&#8217;s purse revealed a glass container of suspected marijuana, cellophane containing several white unidentified pills, a bong and a Kel-Tec 9-mm Luger handgun.</p><p>Cobb initially admitted all the contents of the purse belonged to her.</p><p>Armes had his green backpack searched. Inside, police found a digital scale and a black container with suspected crystal meth.</p><p>While at Kingston Township Police Headquarters, Minnelli admitted the firearm found in Cobb&#8217;s purse was under his seat when he was pulled over and he handed it to Cobb, asking her to hide it.</p><p>The gun&#8217;s serial number was obliterated, and it looked like its numbers were filed off.</p><p>Minnelli doesn&#8217;t have a current or valid concealed weapon permit, police noted.</p><p>Minelli and Cobb were arraigned Tuesday by District Judge Brian James Tupper on similar charges that included: possession of a firearm, carrying a firearm without a license, possession of marijuana and use or possession of drug paraphernalia.</p><p>They were both remanded to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $10,000 bail.</p><p>Armes was also sent to the county lockup for lack of $5,000 bail. He was arraigned by Tupper on charges of possession of a controlled substance and use or possession of drug paraphernalia.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Dan Stokes</p><p>dstokes@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Dan Stokes at 570-991-6389 or on Twitter @ByDanStokes</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Kingston Township traffic stop leads to drug, gun charges