Berks woman faces prison on gun, drug charges after traffic stop in Limerick

NORRISTOWN — A Berks County woman will spend up to four years in prison after Limerick Township police, during a traffic stop and vehicle search, seized methamphetamine, hidden in a deodorant stick and a flashlight, and a handgun for which she did not have a permit to carry.

Cindy Marie Schaeffer-Fitzcharles, 32, who listed a post office box address along Old Swede Road in Amity Township, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 2 to 4 years in the State Correctional Institution at Muncy after she pleaded guilty to felony charges of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and firearms not to be carried without a license in connection with a November 2020 incident in Limerick.

Judge Thomas P. Rogers, who accepted a plea agreement in the case, also ordered that Schaeffer-Fitzcharles receive mental health counseling while in prison.

Prosecutors Gabrielle Hughes and William Highland III handled the case. Defense lawyer Andrew Levin represented Schaeffer-Fitzcharles during the court proceedings.

An investigation began about 2:06 a.m. Nov. 18, 2020, when Limerick Township police conducted a traffic stop of a Subaru Impreza sedan operated by Schaeffer-Fitzcharles at the North Lewis Road on-ramp to westbound Route 422, according to court documents. Police determined Schaeffer-Fitzcharles’ license was suspended.

Schaeffer-Fitzcharles consented to a search of her vehicle, police said.

During a search of the driver side door pocket, police found a container with a cut straw with a substantial amount of white powder residue inside the straw, according to court documents.

“Cut straws are utilized to ingest drugs. Also in the driver side door I located a grey and white tile. The tile contained white powder residue in the shape of a line,” Limerick Township Police Officer Shane Johnston wrote in the criminal complaint.

The search also uncovered, in the center console, a ChapStick container with a hole in the bottom and a plastic bag tucked beneath the ChapStick that contained the prescription pills amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, stimulants which are controlled substances, police alleged.

Police also seized a Speed Stick deodorant container from a purse.

“I removed the deodorant from the container and located two plastic bags containing a crystal-like substance consistent with methamphetamine hidden below the deodorant,” Johnston alleged, adding the deodorant container also contained unused plastic bags consistent with those used to package drugs.

When police unscrewed a flashlight found in the purse they uncovered two additional plastic bags containing suspected methamphetamine.

“The four total bags of methamphetamine appeared to be equal in size and packaged for sale,” Johnston alleged. “Unused bags are often located in possession of drug dealers for the purpose of packaging drugs for sale.”

Additional contraband was found in the trunk of the vehicle, including two cans, one embossed with a food label for fruit and the other a tire cleaner, that had false bottoms that could be removed, police alleged.

“Within these containers were multiple small plastic jars or screw on lid containers containing a green leafy substance consistent with marijuana. In total, there were eight containers containing suspected marijuana,” Johnston alleged. “Drug dealers often possess various quantities of drugs for sale to provide drug consumers with options, similar to any retail store.

“Hidden compartments such as the items contained in this vehicle allow drug dealers the ability to transport larger quantities of drugs discreetly with the intention of avoiding police detection,” Johnston added.

Police also seized a digital scale that contained crystal-like residue consistent with methamphetamine and a green leafy residue consistent with marijuana.

“Scales are utilized to weigh drugs by drug dealers. Weighing drugs allows a drug dealer to legitimize their illegal business through providing specific amounts of drugs for sale,” Johnston wrote in the arrest affidavit.

Additionally, a search of the back seat area of the vehicle revealed a 9mm semiautomatic handgun, wrapped in a black bandana, police said.

“The weapon was positioned on the floor in front of the middle seat, within arm’s reach of Schaeffer-Fitzcharles,” Johnston alleged. “The firearm contained a fully loaded 12-round magazine. The weapon did not have a round chambered.”

A records check determined Schaeffer-Fitzcharles did not possess a permit to conceal a weapon.

Other charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of controlled substances and driving under suspension were dismissed against Schaeffer-Fitzcharles as part of the plea agreement.