One of two men who were arrested and charged in part with the operation of a “chop shop,” entered guilty pleas to reduced charges Tuesday in Carbon County court.

Thomas M. Schaub, 43, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count each of possession of drug paraphernalia and fleeing or attempting to elude police.

He and Curtis Margle, 28, of Palmerton, were arrested on Nov. 6, 2018, after police charged them with stealing a work vehicle from a Schuylkill County business, which was later found with 4.36 grams of methamphetamine.

Schaub was originally charged with owning, operating or conducting a chop shop, a felony 2; conspiracy - owning, operating or conducting a chop shop, a felony 2; possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, both ungraded misdemeanors.

In a plea deal with the district attorney’s office, the two felony counts and one drug charge were dropped.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by patrol officer Dane O’Brien of the Palmerton police:

At 8:31 p.m. Nov. 6, O’Brien was dispatched to the area of Second Street and Alley E for a report of a disturbance.

While en route, dispatch related that one of the men involved was reported to have a firearm and that the caller’s vehicle was parked in the middle of the roadway.

O’Brien arrived on scene and saw a man lying face down on the ground handcuffed behind his back, and two men, identified as James Eastman Jr. and Thomas Evanitsky, standing near a white Ford F-250. Eastman told police that he and his co-worker, Evanitsky, were informed by their company foreman that a white GMC 2500 was stolen from their work site in the area of Mahanoy City/Hometown Exit 131A in Mahanoy Township.

Eastman said the truck also had a work number inscribed on the driver’s side fender in black and an orange construction placard on the rear tailgate. Eastman said he accessed the vehicle’s GPS and found it was actively plotting in the area of 215 Lehigh Ave., Palmerton. They said they tracked the vehicle to that area via GPS and saw an end garage bay door partially opened.

They saw the vehicle through a window on the opposite side of the garage door with the inscribed work number on the front driver’s side fender. A person inside the structure immediately closed the garage door, and ran out of the garage door. They said they took him into custody to prevent his escape.

Margle and Schaub were later interviewed by Detective Kevin Buck of the borough police.

Schaub said he had no knowledge or involvement in the incident. Margle also said that he had no knowledge that the vehicle was stolen and that he was merely assisting Schaub with working on the vehicle.

Margle also said that Schaub had brought the vehicle to his garage earlier in the week, and that Schaub planned on removing the vehicle’s parts with a U-Haul truck parked directly outside the garage.

O’Brien later contacted the owner of the company, John Burgette, who confirmed the vehicle to be stolen.

At 1:27 a.m. Nov. 7, O’Brien, along with patrolman Timothy Kromer, executed a warrant at the location.

A dismantled vehicle fitting the description was found inside the garage bay. The vehicle was then confirmed upon running the attached VIN number. In addition, one tied-off sandwich bag containing a white crystal-like substance was located inside a tool bag adjacent to the garage entry door.

One bundle of wax packets containing a white, powdery substance was located on top of the garage’s tool chest, and the vehicle’s registration card was located on the passenger side floorboard in the name of Burgette Excavation LLC.

The substance in the sandwich bag, which weighed 4.36 grams, tested positive for methamphetamine.

O’Brien later interviewed Margle, who denied having any knowledge of the recovered drugs or related items.

Schaub confirmed that a black cellphone recovered from the scene was his, but declined any further questioning.

The fleeing charge stems from an incident on Feb. 28, 2018, involving Lehighton police. In that case a felony count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance was dropped by the DA’s office.

Judge Steven R. Serfass accepted the pleas but deferred sentencing to a later date.