Traffic Stop Nets $1 Million in Meth

Deputy Colton Goff, K-9 Rae and approximately 1 million dollars 

worth of confiscated meth.

On Sept. 19, Deputy Colton Goff observed a U-Haul rental truck fail to signal, then turn across two lanes of traffic to turn into the Diamond Express convenience store on South Kerr Boulevard in Sallisaw. Goff then made a traffic stop on the vehicle and upon making contact with the driver, immediately smelled the strong odor of burning marijuana. 

Goff explained the reason for the stop to the driver, and then asked about the marijuana smell. The driver then admitted that she was smoking a joint and told Goff that she would give him the remainder of the partially burned, hand-rolled cigarette as well as the rest of the marijuana she had.

The driver then told Goff that she didn’t want him to search the vehicle so the deputy detained the driver and deployed his K-9 Rae and observed a positive alert for the presence of narcotics. 

Goff then searched the vehicle and found two duffel bags in the front seat and floorboard that contained approximately 37 pounds of methamphetamine. Takila Carpenter, 33, of Murfreesboro, Tenn., was the only occupant in the vehicle. She was arrested for aggravated trafficking of a controlled dangerous substance and is currently being held without bond.

“The street value of this meth load was approximately 1 million dollars,” Sequoyah County Sheriff Larry Lane said.

Lane said “I’m proud of Deputy Goff. He did a great job as always. He is a very professional and proactive deputy and has made several large seizures of drugs, money and guns.”

The sheriff’s office has four certified K-9 units that have combined to seize 100 pounds of meth, several pounds of cocaine, heroin and marijuana off the streets, as well as nearly $1 million dollars in cash this year alone.

“Our K-9 units assist all of the local law enforcement agencies in our county. Roland PD is the only other department that has a K-9, so we are regularly called to run the dog for the other departments that don’t currently have K-9 units,” Lane said, adding, “All four of our dogs are less than four years old and two of the four dogs were donated to us, so we saved a lot of money there. We were able to get the dogs trained and certified at very little cost to the sheriff’s office.”

“Our K-9 units also assist all of the county schools and several local businesses when they call us to check for narcotics or weapons,” Lane said.

Laura Brown, KXMX Staff Writer

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