Empower Yourself, Know Your Rights

Man facing drug trafficking and resisting arrest charges

On Behalf of | Apr 2, 2019 | Drug Offenses |

A routine traffic stop in Missouri during the early morning hours of March 23 led to felony drug trafficking charges for a 39-year-old New Franklin man according to a report from the Boone County Sheriff’s Department. The man has also been charged with tampering with evidence, resisting arrest and property damage. Media accounts indicate that he was released from the Boone County Jail after posting a $12,000 bond.

According to a BCSD report, the man’s vehicle was stopped by deputies on State Route VV in the vicinity of Hinton Road because it was unregistered and its license plate light was not working. During the traffic stop, the deputy involved said that he noticed a glass pipe between the man’s legs. The deputy claims that the man resisted his attempts to inventory his possessions but was subdued when more deputies arrived at the scene. Deputies say that they eventually discovered and seized methamphetamine from the man with an estimated street value of $6,000.

Records reveal that the man has had many previous encounters with law enforcement and the criminal justice system. He made headlines in August 2016 when he eluded police for five days after crashing his car in a cornfield following a high-speed chase through Boone and Calloway Counties. Law enforcement had been seeking the man for failing to appear at a felony drug offenses hearing.

Experienced criminal defense attorneys would likely advise those facing serious drug charges to not act belligerently toward law enforcement and to resist the urge to flee. This is because eluding the police is almost never successful and generally leads to additional charges. Antagonistic behavior could also make it more difficult for attorneys to secure a favorable plea agreement during negotiations with prosecutors.

Source: The Columbia Tribune, “New Franklin man arrested with meth”, Pat Pratt, March 28, 2019