A Royal man was arrested on multiple felony charges early Sunday after a routine traffic stop allegedly uncovered drugs and a firearm in his possession.
Shannon Eugene Sheets, 47, who lists a Kinsey Mountain Road address, was taken into custody around 5 a.m. and charged with simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, punishable by up to life in prison, possession of a controlled substance, meth, punishable by up to 10 years, and possession of drug paraphernalia, punishable by up to six years.
Sheets remained in custody Monday on zero bond and made an initial appearance in Garland County District Court. He was also cited for no liability insurance and operating an unsafe vehicle.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly before 4:30 a.m. Sunday, Garland County sheriff's Deputy Clayton Green was on Airport Road near its intersection with Adcock Road when he noticed an eastbound 2003 Chevrolet pickup with a defective windshield and no license plate light.
Green stopped the vehicle in the 1300 block of Airport and made contact with the driver, identified as Sheets, and noticed he had a rifle next to him, so he radioed Sgt. Greg Kellar for assistance. A computer check reportedly revealed Sheets had been arrested several times.
The deputy had Green exit the pickup and then noticed a hollow ink pen in the driver's seat with suspected meth residue inside. When asked, Sheets allegedly stated he had smoked meth about three weeks earlier.
Kellar radioed Deputy Bennie Strickland to bring his K-9, Sandy, who checked the vehicle and reportedly alerted on an area near the floor gear shift. Deputies located a brown paper sack that allegedly contained a glass smoking pipe and a baggie with 2.5 grams of what later tested positive for meth.
Sheets was taken into custody and the drugs and Winchester 270 rifle were confiscated.
Local on 01/09/2018