News
Two Scioto County Traffic Stops Yield Big Results
By: Taylor Mirfendereski
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Four men are in a Scioto County jail Wednesday after state troopers seized thousands of dollars worth of drugs and firearms following two traffic stops on Tuesday.
Richard Meadows, a lieutenant at the Ohio State Highway Patrol, said the two traffic stops occurred within six hours of each other on U.S. 23 and yielded two loaded guns, marijuana, crack cocaine, heroin, cocaine and thousands of illegal prescription pills, worth a total of $185,000.
At around 2 p.m. on Tuesday, a trooper stopped a 2006 Chevrolet with West Virginia registration on U.S. 23 for a speed violation. Meadows said criminal indicators were observed, and a probable search revealed 100 grams of marijuana, seven ounces of heroin, 14 ounces of cocaine and 6,500 illegal prescription pills, worth an estimated $175,000.
The driver, Lenward Pulliam, 30, and passenger Harold Chapple, 25, both of Detroit, MI, were incarcerated in the Scioto County jail and charged with possession of a schedule II substance, possession of cocaine and possession of heroin, all first-degree felonies.
Meadows said the men could each face up to 30 years in prison and up to a $60,000 fine if convicted.
About six hours later, around 8 p.m., troopers stopped a 2012 Chevrolet Impala with Massachusetts registration for a speed violation on U.S. 23. Meadows said a probable cause search revealed a loaded Springfield XD 40 Caliber, a loaded .38 special, 29 grams of crack cocaine and 45 grams of marijuana. The drugs have an estimated value of nearly $10,000.
The driver, Leon Brihm, 22, and passenger, Jeffery Howard, 24, both of Columbus, were incarcerated in the Scioto County Jail and charged with drug abuse, a first-degree felony and weapons under disability, a third-degree felony.
If convicted, the men could each face up to 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine.
Meadows said the two drug seizures are unrelated.