A Kentucky couple was arrested on numerous felony charges Saturday evening in West Liberty around 7:30.
The Logan County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit observed a vehicle with excessively dark window tint and a dark cover on the rear license plate.
Deputies were about to initiate a traffic stop, but the vehicle turned into Thomans IGA.
The vehicle parked at the end of the lot for half an hour, and authorities witnessed a female exit the driver seat, walk around to the passenger side, and then back to the driver seat.
Just before 8 o’clock, the vehicle pulled out of the grocery store parking lot and a traffic stop was initiated.
As deputies made contact, they immediately noticed the nervousness of the driver, Ashley Johnson, 34, of Louisville, as she was giggly for no reason.
Johnson was requested to exit the vehicle and step back with authorities to their patrol car. She laughed, which increased the deputies’ suspicion.
She was asked if there was anything illegal in her vehicle and she immediately replied no.
Johnson denied deputies consent to search her vehicle.
Authorities requested the passenger, Stephen Robnett, 39, also of Louisville, to exit for an exterior K9 sniff.
As Robnett exited the vehicle, deputies detected an odor of raw marijuana on him. He admitted to smoking marijuana earlier in the day.
K9 Thor was deployed and alerted on the vehicle.
A probable cause search was conducted.
Deputies recovered three glass pipes, two were used with methamphetamine residue in a cardboard box on the passenger floorboard. A black BB gun was found under the passenger seat. In the center console, authorities located digital scales, a rubber marijuana smoking pipe with burnt marijuana residue, a black butane torch, and a black empty pistol magazine. A clear baggy containing suspected marijuana was recovered near the seat belt buckle on the passenger seat, and a green glass pipe with a white powdery residue was located in a book bag in the trunk.
Johnson and Robnett were both placed under arrest for possession of drug abuse instruments.
Robnett was asked when the last time he smoked meth and he stated a couple of hours ago. He was also asked if he was concealing anything illegal and he said “no, this isn’t my first rodeo.”
Deputies re-checked the vehicle before it was towed and found a 9mm pistol under the driver’s seat nearly in plain view.
Johnson and Robnett were transported to the Logan County Jail.
Jail staff was advised that someone might have something concealed because the drug equipment was located but no narcotics were found.
Robnett was brought in first and was clean. Johnson was then taken in and asked if she had anything illegal and she said no.
Johnson was processed and then scanned. A foreign object was discovered inside her body. After questioning, she admitted to having a “container of weed” inside her body.
Johnson was taken to a bathroom where she removed the container and threw it into a toilet. Corrections staff retrieved the container and two floating buds of marijuana. A floating baggy was also recovered with a crystal-like substance inside.
Johnson was charged with three felonies: tampering with evidence, conveyance of illegal narcotics into a detention facility, and possession of methamphetamine.
Robnett was charged with possession of drug abuse instruments and felony weapons under disability.
Due to the felony charges, a warning was issued for the tinted cover on the rear license plate.
