Articles Posted in Drug Possession

On Sunday, April 3, a 19-year-old Cincinnati man was arrested on drug charges after he drew the attention of Madison County Sheriff’s Dept. deputies by stopping suddenly on Interstate 75.

According to news reports, Christian Michael Spaulding was traveling in a southbound direction on the interstate when he went off the roadway after crossing all lanes of traffic. Upon exiting his vehicle, it continued moving forward. When deputies arrived at the scene, they noticed Spaulding’s speech was slurred, and that he was having problems maintaining his balance. Deputies asked Spaulding what was going on, to which he replied he had a flat tire. The citation claims that when asked if deputies could search his vehicle, Spaulding refused.

A canine unit was deployed by deputies, which resulted in the dog alerting to the presence of drugs in the vehicle. Upon searching, officers discovered a baggie containing four Xanax pills, six empty baggies, and several baggies of marijuana packaged for delivery.

On Saturday, March 26,a 25-year-old Odessa, NE woman was arrested after a police K-9 unit detected methamphetamine in the vehicle she was driving. Ashley Foged was stopped by Beatrice police after she failed to signal while making two right turns.

According to court documents, an officer observed Foged’s vehicle as she turned right onto Market Street, then turned right onto 12th Street. Both times, the officer claims she failed to signal. Upon being pulled over, Foged identified herself but could not produce a driver’s license as it had been suspended earlier this month for failure to comply.

Police searched the vehicle after the K-9 unit was dispatched to circle Foged’s Mitsubishi SUV and alerted to the presence of drugs near the driver’s side door. Officers discovered a white substance on a digital scale that was determined to be methamphetamine, along with a marijuana pipe containing residue.

On Saturday, March 19 two people were arrested after police were called to investigate a domestic dispute in the 300 block of Braddock Road in Smyrna, DE. The arrests were in connection with a large amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia found at the scene, according to news reports.

Cpl. Brian Donner said in a statement that police were called to the residence for a reported domestic disturbance at about 10:45 Saturday morning. The disturbance was apparently between 51-year-old Emory Monroe, and 38-year-old Genevia Wiltbank. In the course of investigating Monroe, police found he had approximately 50 grams of marijuana in his possession.

Other officers responding to the scene contacted Wiltbank, and upon further investigation the officers found reason to get a search and seizure warrant. With the help of the department’s K9 team, 200 additional grams of marijuana were discovered along with digital scales and other drug paraphernalia.

Recently, 51-year-old Charles “Bennie” Benfer IV was arrested after authorities raided his Marietta, PA home and discovered 111 grams of methamphetamine during the raid, according to news reports. Now, officials believe they have severed a “major artery” of the supply of meth to Lancaster County as they say Benfer had ties to a Mexican cartel.

Authorities claim Benfer had a source in Mesa, AZ who was supplying him with 4 ounces of methamphetamine every week, a source with connections to a Mexican cartel. Spokesman for the Lancaster County DA’s office Brett Hambright commented that 4 ounces is “no small amount,” and that Benfer was “absolutely a major meth supplier in Lancaster County.”

During the raid of Benfer’s home police also discovered paraphernalia used for packaging and selling drugs, along with 86 grams of marijuana. He also had storage sheds in Conoy Township where authorities found additional drug paraphernalia along with oxycodone pills.

Recently, a 28-year-old West Humboldt Park resident with a history of drug arrests was once again arrested after authorities intercepted a package at the post office. According to news reports at the Chicago Tribune, Darrell Crider picked up a package at a P.O. box in Thursday – but only after the package had been intercepted by officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, after some of the contents of the package had been removed.

Officials intercepted the package, which was mailed from the Netherlands and contained hundreds of “Molly” pills, also referred to as MDMA. The officials took out more than 300 of the 542 pills, then allowed an undercover U.S. Postal Service inspector to deliver it to the P.O. box where Crider would pick it up, unknowingly under surveillance. Crider picked up the package along with two others, then placed the packages in the back seat of a vehicle that was waiting on him according to reports.

Crider rode in a vehicle another man was driving, the two making their way to Crider’s home not knowing he was being watched. Minutes after Crider took the package into his apartment building, investigators were alerted that he had opened the package; this validated authorities’ anticipatory search warrant, which they served. Crider fled from the back door of the apartment upon being served, however authorities quickly apprehended him during the brief foot chase.

In December of last year, a “suspicious” FedEx package was intercepted by New York State Police officers; the package was reportedly addressed to a fictitious name, and contained more than 600 grams of heroin. Last week, search warrants were executed at the suspects’ residences and a storage unit suspected to be used by the defendants, 51-year-old Victor Rivera, 25-year-old Chayanne Rivera, and 31-year-old Blake Rivera.

According to news reports, authorities seized large amounts of cocaine, heroin, cash, and guns in the drug bust, calling the three men “major suppliers” and not small-time dealers. On February 22, father and sons were arrested and charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of crack cocaine, five kilograms or more of cocaine, and 100 grams of heroin. The men were also charged with possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.

Overall, officers discovered numerous firearms, drugs, and cash at the three residences where the men lived. Items found during the searches included an assault style rifle, a 9mm handgun and .357 magnum revolver, 12 gauge shotguns, an AK 47 style firearm, more than $375,000 in cash, ammunition, and more. Officer say they seized a total of about 8.3 kilograms of cocaine and half a gram of crack cocaine along with the 100 grams of heroin. If convicted, the men could face a life prison term along with a $10 million fine; the mandatory minimum sentence is 15 years in prison.

On Valentine’s Day, a Heflin, LA woman was involved in a rollover crash that ultimately resulted in her arrest. According to a news article at the Minden Press-Herald, 54-year-old Pamela Doyle crashed her vehicle at the intersection of Tillman Church Rd. and Highway 371.

A deputy with the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Dept. arrived at the scene of the accident, finding Doyle had a laceration to the head; she complained of head pain, and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. While en route to the hospital, deputies found a glass pipe with what they suspected was methamphetamine crystals on it. According to the police report, when deputies inventoried the vehicle they saw the pipe and meth in “plain view” in the passenger side floorboard.

Deputies also searched Doyle’s handbag and found a substance they suspected to be methamphetamine in a plastic baggie. They also reportedly discovered Xanax pills in her purse upon further processing.

Recently, a Danielson, CT man was arrested on numerous drug charges following an investigation that stemmed from a leather jacket found on a bar stool at The Sports Page in November of last year. According to news reports, a routine bar check was being conducted by troopers from the Quality of Life Task Force of Connecticut State Police’s Troop D when the jacket was discovered. In it was 20 grams of crack cocaine prepackaged for sale according to police.

The discovery of the unclaimed leather jacket led to an investigation and subsequent application for an arrest warrant. The warrant was executed earlier this week; the suspect, Jude Abellard, was found at his apartment along with a substantial amount of drugs, cash, and drug paraphernalia. Troopers discovered a digital scale, packaging materials, $576 in cash, and 72 baggies of crack cocaine prepackaged for sale. News reports indicate the 42 grams of crack cocaine has an approximate street value of $4,200.

Abellard is now charged with one count of intent to sell crack cocaine, two counts of possession of crack cocaine, and operating a drug factory. As of last reports, the suspect was being held on $125,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court on February 9.