What started as a routine traffic stop quickly turned into a whole lot of trouble for two people with a history of run-ins with the law.
According to the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office, the Ohio State Highway Patrol stopped a vehicle on State Route 104 Monday evening for traffic violations. That stop didn’t stay routine for long.
Troopers developed probable cause to search the vehicle — and what they found was anything but minor.
Investigators reported seizing:
- 803 grams of suspected methamphetamine
- 27 grams of suspected fentanyl
- 6 grams of suspected crack cocaine
All together, the drugs carry an estimated street value of nearly $36,000.
Arrested were Randy Stevens, 56, of West Portsmouth, and Jessica Darby, 28, of Portsmouth.
Both are now facing:
- Trafficking in Drugs (1st-degree felony)
- Possession of Drugs (1st-degree felony)
They were booked into the Scioto County Jail and appeared in Portsmouth Municipal Court Tuesday morning.
Darby remains held on bond with a preliminary hearing set for April 9. Information from Stevens’ hearing had not yet been posted.
The case will be sent to a Scioto County Grand Jury, where additional charges could be added.
Officials say the investigation involved the Southern Ohio Drug Task Force working alongside the Ohio State Highway Patrol.