A routine traffic stop in Lakeview, on Sunday, turned into a significant drug bust, thanks in large part to K9 Tega, a police dog trained to detect narcotics. The incident unfolded around 3:30 PM when officers pulled over Paul Shoffner, 34, of Belle Center, for driving with an obstructed license plate.
During the initial interaction, Shoffner was overly nervous, prompting officers to suspect further issues. To assist, K9 Tega was called to the scene. Tega conducted an open-air sniff of the vehicle, quickly alerting officers by sitting next to the driver’s side door—an indication of the presence of narcotics.
Deputies searched Shoffner’s person and the vehicle. While nothing was found on him, a search of the trunk led to the discovery of a clear glass pipe and a small bag containing a white crystal-like substance, identified as methamphetamine. The total weight of the methamphetamine was approximately 2.42 grams.
Shoffner was arrested and charged with fifth-degree felony possession of a controlled substance and fourth-degree misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. He was taken to the Logan County Jail, where he was booked. The seized items will undergo analysis by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
