Traffic stop produces arrests, handguns, half-pound of meth

Thursday, September 12, 2013

A routine traffic stop, precipitated by a faulty license plate light, resulted in the arrest of three suspects on drug and gun charges late Tuesday night, Greencastle City Police reported.

During the traffic stop about 11:30 p.m. on the Clark gasoline station lot at Washington and Locust streets, city officers discovered 205 grams of methamphetamine (nearly a half-pound), two loaded handguns and approximately $1,700 in cash.

Subsequently arrested and lodged in the Putnam County Jail, pending a scheduled hearing in Putnam Superior Court Friday, were:

-- Cody Gibson, 28, Bainbridge.

-- Daniel Sparks, 26, Camby.

-- Cheyanne N. Waller, 19, Cloverdale.

All three are being charged with dealing in methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine, while Gibson and Sparks also face charges of possession of a handgun without a permit.

The incident unfolded as GPD Officer Matt Huffman was southbound on North Jackson Street behind a black 2003 Ford pickup truck that he noticed had an inoperable license plate light as Gibson turned the vehicle eastbound onto Washington Street.

After he pulled the vehicle over, Huffman noted nervousness on the part of all three occupants, especially Sparks in the front passenger seat.

When the officer approached the car, neither Sparks nor Waller was able to produced identification. Gibson, however, provided both license and registration.

In a pat-down search of Sparks, the officer felt "what appeared to be a large quantity of currency in his right front shorts pocket," the probable cause affidavit noted. It was later discovered Sparks was carrying $1,757 in cash.

Huffman was also suspicious that there might be guns in the vehicle as Sgt. Charles Inman and Officer Nick Eastham arrived on the scene to assist in a possible search of the truck.

"You're not searching it, you don't have probable cause," Gibson responded to Huffman's request to search the truck, court records show.

Police then called for a K9 unit, and Deputy Phillip Troyer and his dog responded. The K9 soon produced a positive alert on the vehicle, prompting a police search of the truck by Huffman and Eastham.

Almost immediately, Eastham located a Gerber Good Start baby formula container partially wedged under the front seat. Inside the container, officers found a blue handkerchief, an Indiana driver's license belonging to Sparks and 14 plastic baggies containing "a white, crystallized and powdery substance" later identified as methamphetamine.

The 205 grams of meth recovered was listed as having a street value of $5,772 in the probable cause affidavit.

Also discovered in the container were 25 rounds of ammunition, while a fully loaded .25-caliber Raven Arms handgun was found nearby.

Further search of the vehicle produced a Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380 handgun holding six bullets with one round already chambered, the report noted.

Under questioning, Sparks told officers he had stolen the methamphetamine and the .25-caliber handgun earlier in the day from a residence on the west side of Indianapolis, the court document noted.

The suspects are currently being held in the Putnam County Jail, pending their initial court hearing.

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  • Wow, you would think people would learn. If you are going to commit a crime, don't draw attention to yourself.

    -- Posted by interestedperson#1 on Thu, Sep 12, 2013, at 11:38 AM
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