BUCKHANNON – A 20-year-old Buckhannon man who was arrested for possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine recently opted to go to jail rather than help a local drug task force.

Jacob A. Hill was charged with possession with intent to deliver, a felony, on Friday, Oct. 5 after Patrolman Charles S. Criss with the Buckhannon Police Department allegedly discovered five plastic baggies filled with a crystal-like substance and a scale in his vehicle, according to the complaint in the Upshur County Magistrate Clerk’s Office.

In the report, Criss wrote that on Oct. 5, the BPD received a call about a suspicious vehicle parked in an alley off Ritchie Street.

When Criss arrived on scene, he found Hill with a bowl containing marijuana placed in the floor between his feet, the report states. Hill allegedly admitted he’d been smoking marijuana, at which point Criss asked Hill and another passenger to step out of the vehicle so he could search it, according to the complaint.

During his search, Criss allegedly found a small Altoids container filled with five small bags of a crystal-like substance. The officer also found a scale and a larger plastic Ziploc bag filled with small bags like the one containing what Criss believed to be meth.

The total amount of meth Criss found allegedly equaled 2.20 grams.

At that point, Criss arrested Hill for possession with intent to deliver. After being transported to the police station, Hill was given the opportunity to speak to the “task force,” or the Mountain Lakes Drug and Violent Crime unit task force, according to the complaint.

Following the conversation, Hill was instructed to return to the police department Monday, Oct. 9.

“Jacob came to the department on Monday, Oct. 9 and wants to be arrested for his charges and doesn’t want to help the task force,” Criss wrote in the report.

Magistrate Mike Coffman arraigned Hill via video consent from the Tygart Valley Regional Jail and set bond at $25,000 — $10,000 surety and $15,000 personal recognizance.

The penalty for being convicted of possession with intent to deliver is a term between one and five years in jail and a fine of up to $15,000.