Recent reports from the 2nd Judicial Drug Task Force:
On Monday, Nov. 21, Lt. Nicholas Nelson of the Blytheville Police Department was traveling north on Ruddle Road behind a red Jeep Cherokee, when he saw the vehicle cross left of center twice, then make a wide right onto 239 Spur. Nelson followed the vehicle and again noticed it cross left of center. A traffic stop was conducted on the vehicle.
Nelson noticed the driver had red and bloodshot eyes and was slurring his speech. Nelson asked the driver, who identified himself as Jordan Flanagan, if he had been drinking or had ingested any narcotics. Flanagan said he had smoked some marijuana approximately 30 minutes earlier.
Nelson had Flanagan exit the vehicle to perform field sobriety tests. While performing the tests, Nelson received a photo and description of Jordan Flanagan, and confirmed that the driver was not Jordan. When confronted about his identity, Flanagan admitted that he gave his brother's information. The driver was identified as Casey Flanagan of Holland. Flanagan failed field sobriety tests, and was taken into custody for DWI and obstruction of governmental operations.
After taking Flanagan into custody, contact was made with the passenger, Glen Sanders. It was found that Sanders had an outstanding felony warrant from Missouri. Sanders was also taken into custody.
With both individuals arrested, an inventory search of the vehicle was performed. While checking the center console of the vehicle, Nelson located a plastic baggie containing a copper mesh commonly used as a screen in a pipe for smoking illegal substances, especially crack cocaine. While checking the floor and under the seats, Nelson noticed a piece of plastic baggie protruding from under the center console, which contained a small amount of suspected crack cocaine. Also located under the console was an additional baggie containing suspected powder cocaine.
Both Flanagan and Sanders were transported to the Blytheville Police Department for processing. The suspected crack and powder cocaine were both field tested with positive results.
Flanagan was charged with possession of a controlled substance (cocaine), possession of a controlled substance (crack cocaine), possession of drug paraphernalia, DWI drugs, driving left of center, no seat belt and obstructing governmental operations. He was set a $75,000 bond by Judge Shannon Langston. Sanders was charged with possession of a controlled substance (cocaine), possession of a controlled substance (crack cocaine), and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was set a $75,000 bond by Langston.
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On Nov. 21, Officer John Frazier of the Blytheville Police Department made a traffic stop on a white Lincoln with Missouri tags on Ruddle Road. Frazier made contact with Paul Lafferty and Timothy Sweet and learned they were both on probation. Sweet and Lafferty were removed from the vehicle and a probation search was performed on both subjects.
After concluding the search, Frazier looked inside the vehicle and located a cigarette containing suspected marijuana and a small baggie containing a very small amount of suspected methamphetamine. Both Lafferty and Sweet were taken into custody and transported to the Blytheville Police Department for processing.
Upon arrival at the BPD, both were mirandized and questioned. Lafferty said he was giving Sweet a ride to a home on Ruddle when they got stopped, and that the baggie in the floor was not his, but that it did contain methamphetamine. During questioning, Sweet said he was going to collect money from a subject in the Suburban Terrace trailer park. He further stated that the baggie in the floor was not his, and that if he had knowledge of the methamphetamine, he would have swallowed the baggie before stopping. The suspected meth was field tested with positive results.
Both Lafferty and Sweet were charged with possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), and both were set a $20,000 bond by Judge Langston.
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On Nov. 22, Officer Delbert Carter of the Manila Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle after receiving information that the driver had been involved in an earlier incident. After making contact with the defendant, Ronald Maloney of Jonesboro, Officer Carter noticed that he was very nervous and defensive about their contact.
Carter learned that Maloney was on parole, and asked him if there were any illegal items in his vehicle. Carter made contact with Maloney's parole officer, Jennifer Ditto, who came to the scene and assisted in the search of the defendant's vehicle. During the search, officers found a small black cloth bag hidden behind the driver's side kick panel. The bag contained a plastic baggie with a large amount of suspected methamphetamine.
The suspected meth was field-tested positive for 18 grams. Maloney was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance with the purpose to deliver (methamphetamine). He was set a $150,000 bond by Judge Langston.
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On Nov. 26, Officer Jared Camp of the Manila Police Department observed John Brent McGhee of Leachville walking on Truman Street in Manila. Camp was aware that an active warrant existed for McGhee's arrest, so he made contact with him and placed him under arrest.
While speaking with the defendant, Camp noticed that he appeared to have an object in his mouth. Camp asked the defendant to open his mouth and he immediately noticed a small glass bottle under the defendant's tongue. The defendant spit the bottle out and inspection of its contents revealed a clear unknown liquid.
The liquid was field tested positive for methamphetamine. McGhee was charged with possession of a controlled substance (meth), and was set a $25,000 bond by Judge Langston.
sharris@blythevillecourier.com