Matthew J. Mead, 32, Waupaca, is charged with retail theft, possession of narcotics, possession of illegally obtained prescription drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.
On Dec. 22, Waupaca Police Officer Wesley Zube was dispatched to Kmart in response to a shoplifting complaint.
The loss prevention officer told Zube that Mead had walked out of the store with several items without paying for them. He also said that prior to stopping Mead in the parking lot, he had been in the restroom and heard someone inside a stall making noises like he was snorting something.
Zube noticed Mead’s eyes seemed red. He told Mead he was under arrest and escorted him to the squad car.
During a pat-down search, Zube found a clear plastic bottle with a thermometer strip. Mead said it was an empty bottle of synthetic urine to beat a drug test, according to the criminal complaint.
Zube also reported finding a blue plastic tube with white residue in it and a metallic pill container with oxycodone tablets.
Mead was convicted in August of possession of illegally obtained prescription drugs and placed on one year of probation.