A local man was arrested early Saturday following a traffic stop after a Garland County sheriff's investigator reportedly located drugs, a weapon and drug paraphernalia inside his vehicle.
Caleb Michael Wiles, 18, who lists an Indian Hills Street address, was taken into custody just after 1 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of Carpenter Dam Road and Manson Loop and charged with felony counts of simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, punishable by up to life in prison, and possession of a controlled substance with purpose to deliver, punishable by up to six years, and misdemeanor counts of possession of marijuana with purpose to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Wiles appeared Monday via video in Garland County District Court and pleaded not guilty to the charges. He remained in custody in lieu of $25,000 bond and is set to appear Sept. 24 for a hearing to determine if the charges will be bound over to Garland County Circuit Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, sheriff's Investigator Matthew Ellis reportedly noticed an Oldsmobile car leaving a neighborhood where recent vehicle break-ins had occurred. He followed the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop after the driver, later identified as Wiles, reportedly failed to fully stop at a stop sign.
When Ellis approached the vehicle to ask for Wiles' ID, he reportedly smelled the odor of marijuana and noted Wiles was breathing heavily, trembling, and stuttering as he informed Ellis he did not have a driver's license with him.
While talking with Wiles, Ellis reportedly observed "smoked marijuana blunts" in the ashtray. When asked where the marijuana was located, Wiles allegedly directed him to the center console. Both Wiles and a juvenile passenger were asked to step out of the vehicle.
Ellis searched the vehicle and allegedly located a clear bag with 11 individually packaged bags of suspected marijuana, multiple baggies individually packaged with a variety of pills and a glass pipe commonly used to smoke meth coated in suspected meth residue.
Ellis allegedly found a loaded Smith & Wesson .38 Special revolver with six live rounds underneath the front seat, within Wiles' reach. Wiles was taken into custody and the juvenile was reportedly released to the custody of his parents.
Local on 07/31/2018