Routine traffic stop nets suspected drug money, small amount of drugs
Published 12:00 am Thursday, August 25, 2005
A routine traffic stop by a Butler County deputy turned into the arrest of two Georgia men and the seizure of almost $6,000 in cash.
Deputy Jeremy Douglas had a 1996 Toyota Corolla pull over between the 121- and 124-mile marker along Interstate 65 on Sunday for improper lane usage at 3:20 p.m. Sunday.
Upon searching the car, Douglas found 1/4 ounce of marijuana, some electronic scales and $5,968 in cash.
Shaunterio Q. Colclough, 22, of 3377 Railroad St., Ellenwood, Ga., and Ka-Lick Jamar Reed, 22, of 939 Greenwood Ave., Atlanta were both arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Colclough and Reed were released on $6,000 bonds Sunday night.
This marks the second recovery of such a large amount of suspected drug money along I-65 in the last three months, according to Butler County chief investigator Mike Holmes Sr.
This was the second drug bust by sheriff's deputies in a week.
Jessica Ann Bush, 26, of 101 North St. of McKenzie was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia after finding a make-shift crystal methamphetamine lab in the back master bedroom on Aug. 11, Holmes said.
"We had an ongoing investigation pertaining to the production of crystal meth in the home," Holmes said.
This was not the first time Bush had been arrested and charged on drug charges, Holmes said.
Butler County deputies escorted a member of the Department of Human Resources to Bush's residence, which is owned by her father Joseph Armstrong, after deputies arrested Bush's boyfriend Billy Ray Castleberry on an outstanding warrant from Covington County for failure to pay child support.
The arrest was apparently made in front of Bush's 4- and 8-year-old children.
The children are now in the custody of their grandparents following her arrest.
Bush was released from the Butler County Jail on $6,000 bond Aug. 12.
"This just goes to show that we are putting forth a great effort to get drugs out of this county," Holmes said.
A day before Bush's arrest, McKenzie police officer Ronnie Terry arrested Thurston O'Neil Atkins, 21, of 43016 Washington Ave, Georgiana for possession of marijuana first-degree and possession of drug paraphernalia on a routine driver's license check.
"I was doing a driver's license check on Main Street around 10 p.m., and (Atkins) did not have his driver's license," Terry said. "I had him pull over and I noticed some empty baggies in his car."
Terry searched the vehicle more and found about 2 1/4 ounces of marijuana in bags as well as an electronic scale.
Terry said that this was not the first time Atkins had been arrested on drug charges.