A traffic stop on Interstate 20 in Lincoln Parish Sunday led to the arrest of a driver after over 200 pounds of marijuana was reportedly found in the vehicle.
Johan Yahir Roldan-Garcia, 23, of Salem, Oregon, was arrested July 12 by a Louisiana state trooper.
According to the affidavit, a Louisiana State Police trooper observed a blue Hyundai Tucson traveling east on Interstate 20 near milepost 72 while following another vehicle at an unsafe distance. The Hyundai was allegedly following a commercial vehicle at a distance of only one car length at about 65 miles per hour.
The driver identified himself as Roldan-Garcia. According to the affidavit, Garcia said he was traveling from Los Angeles to Atlanta in the rented vehicle for a week of vacation.
The trooper noted in a report that several items were seen that indicated criminal activity. A K-9 drug detection dog was deployed. The K-9 gave a positive indication of the presence of narcotics in the vehicle, according to the affidavit.
The trooper searched the vehicle and found four duffle bags containing a large amount of marijuana. Roldan-Garcia reportedly stated he rented the vehicle, knew the marijuana was in it, but did not know how much marijuana was inside.
According to the affidavit, Roldan-Garcia stated he was told where to deliver the marijuana and receive his pay. The trooper reported recovering approximately 237 pounds of high-grade marijuana.
Roldan-Garcia was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
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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