The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
During the traffic stop of a dad in West Virginia, an officer allegedly found a gun in the vehicle and a 7-ounce bag of methamphetamine in his teenage daughter’s sweatshirt.
On June 9, a man was cruising down the highway in Arlington with his 2 daughters, ages 12 and 14. A deputy from the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office was patrolling the area, and they noticed that the vehicle had dark-tinted windows. They also believed the exhaust was unusually loud, so they performed a traffic stop.
The driver pulled over, and when he first talked to the deputy, he was asked for the usual items, such as proof of registration. When he was unable to give that to the deputy, the vehicle’s status was checked. In addition to having illegal inspection stickers, the authorities discovered the car was reported stolen in Ohio. The man explained he made a deal with the owner and traded his truck for the vehicle. He said he still had to take care of the title change.
After asking him to step out of the car, the deputy asked for permission to search the vehicle. The man, whose children were still in the back seat, would not consent. The children got out of the car, and it was believed that the man was acting suspiciously while standing near them. The deputies noticed something in one of the children’s hoodies, and she reportedly said it was just a bag. When they got it out of the sweatshirt, the deputies alleged that it was holding 7 ounces of meth, and they believed the girl’s father tried to hide it by putting it there. They also reported that a gun was found in the car.
The man was arrested and booked into the Tygart Valley Regional Jail. He is facing preliminary charges of possession of a controlled substance, child neglect with risk of injury, being a prohibited person with a firearm, and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. According to jail records, he is being held in lieu of a $100,000 cash bond. If convicted, he could spend several years behind bars.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.