Two arrested for drug offenses during stop
Published 7:00 am Friday, January 5, 2018
Two individuals from out-of-town were arrested by the Picayune Police Department after a routine stop for careless driving found them to be in possession of illegal narcotics.
According to a departmental report, a patrol officer conducted a stop on a vehicle being driven by 41-year-old Timothy O’Neal Magee of 42 Booth Circle, Bassfield, Miss., the afternoon of Dec. 28, for careless driving.
The officer approached the vehicle to find 30-year-old Ashley Nervetta Popovits of 4065 Fawn Run Rd., Pearl River, La., in the passenger seat.
When asked for his driver’s license and proof of insurance, Magee was unable to provide either, the report states. However, the officer did detect the strong odor of a substance suspected to be marijuana coming from the vehicle, leading the patrolman to request assistance from narcotics detectives.
Narcotics detectives arrived on scene to conduct a search of the vehicle, which turned up a black digital scale containing a green leafy substance suspected to be marijuana, clear plastic bags, a mason jar containing a green leafy substance suspected to be marijuana, a handbag containing a glass pipe containing a crystal like substance suspected to be methamphetamine and a syringe, the report states.
Investigative techniques employed by the detectives determined the suspects allegedly intended to sell the controlled substances to someone, the report states.
As a result of the stop and subsequent investigation, both Magee and Popovits were arrested for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a school or church, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute within 1,500 feet of a church and Magee was cited for careless driving, no driver’s license and no insurance, the report states.