Traffic Stop Leads to Arrests

A Vian man was arrested Nov. 21 and charged with bringing contraband into a jail facility, a felony punishable by imprisonment in the State Penitentiary for up to five years, a fine of up to $1,000 or both.

Jesse Hudson Rouse, 41, was also charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, both misdemeanors.

On Nov. 21, a Gore police officer on patrol around 1:20 a.m. spotted a white Ford Explorer with a defective brake light on its passenger side, prompting him to initiate a traffic stop.

The officer made contact with the driver, who identified himself as Michael Kelly. Kelly told the officer he didn’t have a driver’s license, so the officer asked him to turn off the car and step outside. As Kelly was turning off the ignition, the officer noticed that he had to use a screwdriver. When asked why, Kelly said he had lost the keys and had to “punch’ the ignition. The officer then detained Kelly and placed him in handcuffs. He then began speaking with Rouse, the passenger.

Rouse said he had just bought the vehicle and that it did not have insurance. He also said there was a small amount of marijuana in the vehicle, either in the console or in his bag in the back. The officer found a small homemade smoking device made out of sockets and black tape. In the back seat, the officer discovered a black box containing a green, leafy substance that smelled like marijuana. Rouse was placed under arrest for possession of marijuana and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kelly was arrested for driving under suspension and failure to comply with compulsory insurance law.

Shortly after placing the men in the back of his patrol car, the officer informed them that if they had anything illegal on them to let him know before they get to the jail, because if they did it would be a felony charge. The two stayed silent.

While at the jail getting changed into jail clothing, a jail shift supervisor discovered a glass smoking device and plastic baggie with a crystal-like substance inside the bag. The substance later field-tested positive for methamphetamine.

 Laura Brown, KXMX Staff Writer

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