A Sharon man picked up by a Weed and Seed anti-crime patrol will face drug and weapons charges in Mercer County Common Pleas Court.

Tay Robinson, 37, of 850 S. Oakland Ave., was taken to Mercer County Jail Thursday after failing to post $50,000 bond on charges of felony possession of a firearms, felony possession with intent to deliver cocaine, misdemeanor possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The charges were held to court after a preliminary hearing before District Justice James E. McMahon, Sharon.

Robinson was arrested after Sharon and Farrell policemen on Weed and Seed patrol served a search warrant at his house on Aug. 27. The Weed and Seed program focuses state, local and federal resources on "weeding" a target area of crime and "seeding" it with community programs to keep crime from returning.

Sharon Patrolman Jeffrey Wiscott said he led the search team and cataloged the evidence found in Robinson's home.

Wiscott gave the following testimony:

Police forcibly entered Robinson's house when his girlfriend, Amber Moor, opened the door. Ms. Moor was handcuffed by police. Police found Robinson sitting on a chair in the back of the house and handcuffed him.

Police read Robinson the search warrant and Wiscott asked him what they would find in the house.

Robinson told police there was a gun in the "porn closet" in an upstairs bedroom. Police found a .22-caliber revolver on top of some tapes in the closet.

During their search police also found ammunition, four digital scales with crack cocaine and marijuana residue on them, a small amount of marijuana, plastic baggies with the corners removed, a teaspoon caked with crack cocaine, two aluminum cans converted into "smoke pots" for smoking crack cocaine and an envelope containing $116.

Plastic bags with the corners cut off indicate someone who is packaging or trafficking drugs, Wiscott said. He said once the drugs are placed inside a corner of the bag, the bag is cut and the corner containing the drugs sealed off to preserve the integrity of the drug.

Ted Isoldi, public defender, asked Wiscott if police read Robinson his right to have an attorney.

Wiscott said that Robinson was not read his rights because he was not under arrest at that time -- even though Robinson was handcuffed and not free to leave. Wiscott said the only question he asked Robinson was what police would find in the house.

Isoldi asked McMahon to reduce Robinson's bond because he is a lifelong local resident.

Assistant District Attorney Robert Kochems asked McMahon to reject that request. Kochems said the charges against Robinson are "fairly substantial" and he sees no reason for Robinson to stay in town because, to the best of his knowledge, Robinson has no job or commitments.

McMahon agreed with Kochems and denied the request to reduce bond.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Kristen Garrett at kgarrett@sharonherald.com