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Deputies Say Tinted Car Windows Led To Drug, Counterfeiting Arrests

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By HOWARD ALTMAN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 22, 2008

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

After being arrested, one of the men turned on the other saying he got the drugs from him, according to a report.

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

According to a criminal arrest affidavit:

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

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

Deputies found a bag containing a blue OxyContin pill hanging outside Rodriguez's left front pocket. An empty OxyContin bottle was found on McClain.

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

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

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

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 are in the Orient Road Jail. No bail has been set, according to jail records.

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

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