A traffic stop early Thursday morning may result in two Poplar Bluff, Mo., convicted felons facing new drug- and weapons-related charges.
At about 12:40 a.m., Poplar Bluff Police Patrolman Dustin Barks stopped a Pontiac Sunfire in the 500 block of Highway 53 due to a suspected expired registration.
Barks, according to his report, contacted the driver, who was identified as Jordan Lee Braden and his passenger, who later would be identified as Kira Ruth Earls.
When Barks checked the car's registration, he said, it checked to a Subaru, not a Pontiac.
"Jordan advised that he recently purchased the vehicle, and that is why the registration was not correct," Barks said. "(He) also stated he did not have any insurance for the vehicle."
Due to the car having no insurance, Barks said, he told Braden it would be towed.
Prior to the car being towed, Barks said, he conducted an inventory of it and found a Springfield XDM .45-caliber handgun under the driver's seat.
"There was a live round in the chamber and seven rounds in the magazine," said Barks.
A unloaded Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver was found under the front passenger seat, as was a Hi-Point .40-caliber handgun, Barks said.
The Hi-Point, he said, had no round in the chamber, but it had 10 rounds in the magazine.
All three weapons, Barks said, were seized.
Barks also found what he described as a small pink pouch in the backseat, which contained several "little plastic bags" commonly used in the alleged distribution of drugs, as well as one round of .40-caliber ammunition.
A purse, which was found in the front, passenger's side floorboard allegedly contained two syringes and smoking pipes, said Barks, who indicated the purse was removed from the car and the alleged contraband placed in evidence.
While Barks was inventorying the car, Patrolman Billie Duckett was standing at the rear of the vehicle with Braden. Earls earlier had been placed in a patrol car after she was found to have a warrant for her arrest.
"While Braden was speaking with me, I noticed he kept reaching for his groin area and was keeping his legs very close to each other as if he was trying to keep something from falling out of his pants," Duckett said in his report.
Upon questioning from Duckett, Braden reportedly denied having anything in his pants.
"I asked Braden to come speak with me and stepped away from the rear of the vehicle," Duckett said.
As Braden was walking toward Duckett, two bags of a crystal substance, a "larger" bag of a crystal substance and nine pills fell to the ground.
Braden, 21, of the 1400 block of South 14th Street was arrested on suspicion of unlawful use of a weapon, possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of firearm and distribution of controlled substance.
While speaking with a handcuffed Braden, he "pulled two more Baggies of crystal substance from his underwear," Duckett said.
Earls, 25, of the 900 block of Oakwood was arrested on a municipal failure to appear warrant for assault, Wayne County failure to appear warrant for possession of a controlled substance and on suspicion of possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of firearm.
Braden and Earls, Barks said, were told of their rights.
Barks said Earls admitted the purse found in the car belonged to her.
"During the inventory of her property from the purse, I located a Hi-Point magazine," which contained 10 rounds of live .40-caliber ammunition, Barks said.
"Kira stated she did not know how the magazine got there," Barks said.
While booking Braden, Barks said, he asked what the crystal substance was and was told it was methamphetamine. The pills reportedly were Xanax.
"He said the larger Baggies was not methamphetamine," Barks said.
The crystal-like substances, which reportedly weighed more than 50 grams, will be sent to the Missouri State Highway Patrol's crime lab for analysis.
Both Braden and Earls, who are convicted felons, were booked at the Butler County jail.
Earls reportedly also is being held in jail on warrants for driving while revoked/suspended and first-degree arson and a failure to appear warrant for possession of a controlled substance.
Authorities say further arrests are anticipated and officers have been in contact with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration about the possibility of federal charges against Braden and Earls.
Police Chief Danny Whiteley reiterated officers are "very aware of (who) the majority of the heroin and meth users, distributors and suppliers" are and will be seeking to make cases against them.
"In meeting with the new United States attorney, Jeff Sessions, he is instructing our federal partners, particularly the DEA and ATF, to start reevaluating investigative procedures," said Whiteley. "It appears in the coming months, we will once again be able to request federal assistance and prosecution of dope- and gun-related cases."