A Monroe County man will spend up to 12 years in state prison after admitting to firearms and drug charges filed by Coaldale police.

Norman G. Thomas Jr., 21, of Blakeslee, and who also listed a Tamaqua address at the time of his arrest, was charged by Coaldale police officer Charles Blesse with possession of firearm prohibited, firearms not to be carried without a license, manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, and driving with no headlights on June 9, 2017.

Judge Charles M. Miller accepted Thomas’ plea to possession of firearm prohibited and manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance.

The remaining charges were dropped.

Miller sentenced him to four to 12 years in state prison.

Miller gave Thomas credit for the 233 days he had already served.

Blesse stopped Thomas at 2:39 a.m. on Route 209 for a nonworking headlight.

Thomas appeared to be nervous, and his hands were shaking.

He told Blesse he was taking his passenger to the hospital in Coaldale.

When told he had passed the hospital entrance, Thomas said he was unfamiliar with the area.

After being warned about the headlight and told he was free to leave, Thomas consented to a search request.

When Blesse noticed a pocket knife, he asked if there were any other weapons. A .22-caliber Ruger automatic pistol was tucked in Thomas’ waistband. In the car, there was a pack of Marlboro cigarettes containing a bagged white crystal and a small plastic bag containing a crystal like powder. Both field tested positive for methamphetamine.

In a separate case, Thomas was charged by Tamaqua police officer Thomas C. Rodgers with manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver, criminal use of communication facility, and intent to possess a controlled substance by a person not registered on June 7, 2017.

In that case, he pleaded guilty to the possession charge. The remaining charges were dropped.

Miller sentenced Thomas to two to four years, to be served concurrently with the other sentence.