The Missouri State Highway Patrol has reported that two men were taken into custody on Aug. 7 after allegedly being caught in a stolen car. Initial reports do not reveal the events that led up to the arrests, but they do indicate that the men face a raft of charges including grand theft auto, narcotics and weapons counts. According to an MSHP report, a 33-year-old Villa Ridge man was apprehended at 10:22 p.m., and a 26-year-old Union man was taken into custody at 10:40 p.m.
The men are alleged to have been found in the possession of an unidentified explosive, at least one firearm, approximately 2 grams of a substance believed to be methamphetamine, 3 grams of a substance believed to be heroin and items of drug paraphernalia. A tampering with motor vehicle charge is likely connected to the alleged theft of the vehicle they were traveling in. Both of the men are also accused of resisting arrest. They are being held at the Franklin County Jail according to a media report.
Both of the men are said to have long criminal histories. Records checks reveal that the Villa Ridge man has been charged with narcotics offenses on multiple occasions including a count of possessing anhydrous ammonia, which is used in the production of methamphetamine. The Union man was charged with drug possession and theft in 2014 and tampering with a motor vehicle in 2015.
Experienced criminal defense attorneys may scrutinize police reports carefully when media accounts contain only sparse details of the events leading up to an arrest involving explosives, weapons and drug offenses. This is because police may be reluctant to release information when officers could have strayed beyond boundaries laid down by the U.S. Constitution. When traffic stops were made without good reason or searches were conducted absent of probable cause, attorneys may seek to have drug charges dismissed.