Traffic stops result in over a dozen drug related charges

MT. PLEASANT — Two traffic stops approximately a month apart resulted in Henry County Sheriff’s Office charging one Washington man with more than a dozen drug related charges.

According to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office, authorities stopped Nolan Welch Jr., 28, on June 26 near 260th Street and Highway 34 for a traffic violation in a white Ford Mustang. On July 30 in the 3000-grid of Highway 218 authorities pulled over the same white Ford Mustang driven again by Welch.

Details of the stop outlined in the June 26 criminal complaint filed with Henry County courts state that Deputy Arturo Perez first noticed the Mustang due to a lack of “registration affixed to the front bumper,” at approximately 5:45 p.m.

According to Perez’s account of the first traffic stop, he observed a “strong odor” of Marijuana which then resulted in a probable cause search of the vehicle.

The criminal complaint further states that through the search he discovered five “plastic baggies containing a green-leafy substance” totaling 122 grams and four Psilocybin hallucinogenic chocolate bars “infused with CBD.”

The first traffic stop resulted in Welch’s arrest for two counts of possession of a controlled substance. Welch was later released without bond.

Later Welch received five additional charges from this first traffic stop including three counts of Failure to Affix Drug Stamp.

With additional criminal complaints submitted to the courts, Perez listed additional items found and seized, some of which included 30 grams of cocaine, THC wax and cartridges, Alprazolam, unknown pills, a digital scale, marijuana cigarettes, and white-crystalline residue.

“Upon further investigation, evidence of narcotics trafficking (prices/quantities) were found in cell phones seized from the defendant at the traffic stop,” Perez stated in the criminal complaint.

Officer Jesse Bell conducted the July 30 traffic stop at approximately 6 p.m. due to a speeding violation.

According to criminal complaints filed in conjunction with this second stop, Bell achieved probable cause for another search when K-9 Officer Axel indicated the presence of an odor of narcotics coming from the vehicle.

“During a search of the vehicle, a small amount of green leafy substance, appearing to be marijuana, was located in the front of the vehicle, and an additional small amount of green leafy substance, appearing to be marijuana was located in the trunk area,” Bell stated in the criminal complaint. “The defendant admitted there was a small amount of marijuana in the vehicle, as he got it at a dispensary in Illinois.”

Bell states he then arrested Welch for possession of marijuana and transported him to the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.

This second arrest came with charges of Possession of cocaine with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Ecstasy with intent to distribute, and two counts of Failure to Affix Drug Tax Stamp Violations, and Possession of Marijuana.

“Upon arrival at the sheriff's office, the defendant admitted he had narcotics concealed on his person,” Bell stated.

According to court documents, at that time authorities found 44 grams of cocaine and 32 multicolored and shaped pills.

“The defendant admitted that the multicolored/multi-shaped pills were Ecstasy pills (which is commonly another name for MDMA or molly),” Bell stated in the criminal complaint.

Bell states in the criminal complaint for July 30 that evidence from the phones obtained in the June 26 search specifically included information about prices and quantities for Molly.

The court set Welch’s conditions of release to include a cash or surety bail of $75,000 and set a preliminary hearing for both cases for Aug. 10 at 9 a.m.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com