Louisiana Tech Police arrested a Farmerville man Saturday after he was stopped for traffic violations and was found in possession of drugs and wanted on warrants.
Charles Tyler Stafford, 40, was arrested on ten charges ranging from possession of methamphetamine to switched license plates on September 28.
A Tech police officer on patrol saw a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe pulling a trailer on Tech Drive about 5:00 p.m. The vehicle had a temporary tag behind tinted glass that was unreadable but also displayed a regular permanent plate. The permanent plate registration showed it belonged on a 1998 Chevrolet pick up.
Once the vehicle was stopped, Stafford produced temporary tag paperwork and an Oregon driver’s license which was invalid. A record check showed his Louisiana license driver’s license had been suspended. Stafford could not provide proof of insurance. He was found to be wanted on a warrant from Arkansas and another from Georgia, as well as three warrants for failure to appear in Third Judicial District Court
During a patdown frisk for weapons, the officer found was initially thought to be a pistol but was a black magnetic key box. Stafford said the item was not his and that it probably contained drugs. He admitted there was marijuana in the driver’s door, but that he did not know the contents of the key box, but it was most likely drugs belonging to one of his employees.
The key box contained two baggies and two screw top containers of suspected methamphetamine, as well as several items of paraphernalia.
The license plate on the trailer was also found to be switched.
A Lincoln Parish deputy assisted in testing the substance that was found to be positive for methamphetamine.
Stafford was booked at the Lincoln Parish detention Center for possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving under suspension, two counts of switched license plate, and three warrants from Third District Court for DWI, speeding, and driving under suspension.
The warrants from Arkansas and Georgia did not include a provision for extradition from another state.
Stafford’s bail was set at $27,000.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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