Trucker held for allegedly transporting mustard-covered marijuana gets March 3 trial date

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

After law enforcement was able to catch up with his mustard-covered marijuana ploy, a 52-year-old California truck driver is being held on $20,000 cash bond at the Putnam County Jail.

Richard Sherman of El Cajon, Calif., who was arrested in Putnam County Thursday, Sept. 29 for allegedly transporting nearly 50 pounds of yellow mustard-covered marijuana, entered not-guilty pleas to a Level 5 felony charge of dealing in marijuana and Class B misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana during a Putnam Superior Court hearing.

Richard Sherman

Judge Denny Bridges appointed public defender Austin Malayer to represent Sherman and a set a March 7 date for a trial by jury in the case.

Sherman was reportedly at the wheel of a 2014 International tractor pulling a box trailer eastbound near the 36-mile marker of Interstate 70, five miles west of Cloverdale, when Indiana State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Trooper Yan Dravigne pulled the rig over for a routine safety inspection about 6:30 p.m.

In a probable cause affidavit filed in Superior Court, Dravigne stated that while greeting the driver, he was "met with the overwhelming scent of yellow mustard."

The mustard was reportedly being used as an odor-masking agent inside vacuum-sealed packages of marijuana discovered in a large duffel bag and two large trash bags within the sleeper berth area of the tractor.

In all, troopers seized 48 pounds of reported high-grade marijuana from the semi that was reportedly traveling from California to Pennsylvania hauling television parts.

The driver told investigators he was being paid $10,000 to deliver the marijuana to Columbus, Ohio, the probable cause affidavit notes.

The 36 individual packages of marijuana were weighed individually and ranged from approximately 1.25 to 1.5 pounds each, with a total street value estimated at $200,000.

A pre-trial conference in the case was set for 11 a.m. Nov. 30.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: