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Police: Tinted Car Windows Led To Drug, Counterfeiting Arrests

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By HOWARD ALTMAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 21, 2008

TAMPA - The tinted windows of a 1998 Honda Accord, say deputies, led to the arrest of two men for trafficking in OxyContin and possessing 45 bogus $100 bills.

After being arrested, one of the men turned on the other, according to a report.

Shortly before 10 p.m. Tuesday, a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office deputy spotted the Accord near Woodlake Boulevard and Sheldon Road.

This is what happened next, according to a criminal arrest affidavit:

The deputy pulled the Accord over because the windows had a dark tint.

The driver, Jose Rodriguez, 43, of Tampa, and Patrick McClain, 33 of Tampa, gave police permission to search the Accord as well as themselves.

Both men were patted down.

Deputies found a baggie with a blue OxyContin pill hanging outside Rodriguez's left front pocket.

They found an empty OxyContin bottle on McClain.

Deputies then searched the Accord and found more than 4 grams of OxyContin, which is considered a trafficking amount. The report, however, does not say how many pills were found.

Aside from the drugs, deputies found a folder in the driver's side door pocket containing 45 counterfeit $100 bills.

After being arrested, McClain refused to speak to deputies. Rodriguez, however, said that he got the drugs from McClain.

Rodriguez was charged with trafficking in OxyContin, conspiracy to traffic in illegal drugs and possession of 10 or more counterfeit bills, all felonies.

McClain was charged with conspiracy to traffic in OxyContin and possession of 10 or more counterfeit bills.

Both men, according to jail records, are being held at the Orient Road Jail. No bail had been set.

Editor Howard Altman can be reached at (813) 259-7629 or haltman@tampatrib.com.

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