Four individuals were arrested early Tuesday after a traffic stop on the Louisiana Tech University campus led deputies to find suspected methamphetamine, marijuana and psilocybin mushrooms in a vehicle.
Carl Keiffer Jr., 46, of Lafayette; Charles Strange, 53, of Columbia; Tyler Messerschmidt, 32, of Monroe; and Lindsey Brunet, 40, of Spearsville, were arrested at 1:07 a.m. Nov. 10 by the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office at Everett Street and West Mississippi Avenue.
According to arrest affidavits, a deputy on patrol saw a white Chevrolet Tahoe traveling south on Tech Drive. Dispatch told him the vehicle wasn’t insured, and he stopped it after it turned west on West Alabama Avenue. Keiffer, the driver, showed an insurance policy on his phone that had been canceled.
The front-seat passenger, Messerschmidt, became extremely nervous and began shaking, the affidavit states. He made movements as if trying to get rid of items from his right pocket. A second deputy opened his door and escorted him out. As he did, the deputy saw a baggie of suspected marijuana in the front passenger seat, and a baggie of suspected methamphetamine fell out of the vehicle where Messerschmidt was trying to discard items. The baggies weighed 1.1 grams and 3.3 grams. His right pocket was turned inside out.
Keiffer and Messerschmidt were handcuffed and advised of their rights. The two rear-seat passengers, Brunet and Strange, were then taken out and also handcuffed and advised of their rights.
Strange said he had methamphetamine on him. Deputies took from his pocket a bag of suspected marijuana weighing 10.8 grams, four baggies of suspected methamphetamine weighing about one gram each and packaged individually for distribution, and a glass smoking pipe with suspected methamphetamine residue. A female officer from the Ruston Police Department searched Brunet and found no contraband.
A search of the vehicle turned up a black bag in the rear area between Brunet and Strange. It held a baggie with 44.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine, a bag with 10.9 grams of suspected psilocybin mushrooms, a digital scale and numerous clear baggies. Under the center console cup holders, a deputy found a loaded syringe containing suspected methamphetamine, a used syringe, and three baggies holding a total of 5.8 grams of suspected methamphetamine.
When questioned after being advised of their rights, two of the passengers said Strange provided them with methamphetamine. Brunet said the only bag she had in the back seat was a drawstring bag that held no contraband. Strange denied having the narcotics and would not answer further questions.
A warrant check showed Brunet had an active Ouachita Parish warrant for probation violation. All four were taken to Lincoln Parish Detention Center and booked.
Keiffer was booked on charges of no insurance, possession of a Schedule II drug (methamphetamine), possession of drug paraphernalia and violation of the uniform controlled dangerous substances law in a drug-free zone.
Strange was booked on charges of possession with intent to distribute a Schedule I drug (marijuana), possession with intent to distribute a Schedule II drug (methamphetamine), possession with intent to distribute a Schedule I drug (psilocybin mushrooms), possession of drug paraphernalia and a drug-free zone violation.
Messerschmidt was booked on charges of possession of a Schedule I drug (marijuana), possession of a Schedule II drug (methamphetamine), possession of drug paraphernalia and a drug-free zone violation.
Brunet was booked as a fugitive from Ouachita Parish.
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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