Pair tries, fails to hide meth in pants

Two area residents may face drug trafficking charges after local authorities conducted a traffic stop Wednesday night in Poplar Bluff and seized nearly 4 ounces of suspected crystal methamphetamine.

Renee Katherine Taylor, 40, of Williamsville and William Joseph Kirn, 46, of Poplar Bluff were arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking at about 8:45 p.m. Police Patrolman Billie Duckett stopped a Chevrolet Blazer driven by Kirn in the 200 block of South Westwood Boulevard.

Duckett, according to his report, had been told Kirn was traveling on Highway 53 near South Westwood Boulevard. Kirn had a warrant out for his arrest.

Kirn

Detective Corey Mitchell also had information regarding possible narcotics activity, Duckett said.

Kirn was arrested on a Butler County warrant for delivery of a controlled substance during the stop.

Duckett said he was told by a dispatcher that Taylor had warrants from Kennett and St. Francois County.

As the status of the Kennett was being checked, Duckett said, he had Taylor get out of the SUV. She then was handcuffed.

Sgt. Shonna Grobe subsequently arrived and conducted a “pat down” of Taylor, Duckett said.

“As I approached Taylor, I could see an obvious bulge in Taylor’s crotch area,” Grobe wrote in her report.

Taylor denied having anything illegal on her person, Grobe said.

As Grobe began to pat Taylor down, she said, she felt a “hard object along her (Taylor’s) leg and crotch area.”

With Taylor’s consent, Grobe said, the object was retrieved and found to be a “large Baggie of a white crystal substance … Once the first Baggie was recovered, I noticed there were many more.”

One of the bags, according to Grobe, was open and the “crystal substance began falling out of Taylor’s pants’ legs.”

At that point, Grobe said, she realized there was a “substantial amount still concealed, and the remainder of the search needed to take place at the police department.”

Grobe said Taylor was taken to the police department, where a “more thorough” search was conducted in a restroom.

When Taylor took off her pants, “loose crystal substance(s) began to fall from her pants onto the floor,” Grobe said.

Grobe located about 112 grams of a crystal substance, Duckett said, which Mitchell subsequently field tested. The substance reportedly was positive for methamphetamine.

While at the scene, Duckett said, he asked Kirn for permission to search his SUV.

After being given consent, Duckett said, Patrolman Cody Trout found and seized a glass smoking pipe and a scale from a purse in the SUV’s backseat. Taylor reportedly had been in possession of the purse earlier in the traffic stop.

Both Kirn and Taylor were booked at the Butler County jail.