Sheriff Bobby Jones reports the arrest of three men following a traffic stop on West Highway 80.
While on patrol, Deputy Zack Huff stopped a 1999 Dodge Dakota pickup after running the Kentucky license plate and discovering that the pickup did not have a verified proof of insurance on file. When Dep. Huff initiated the traffic stop, Narcotics Detective Trent Massey arrived on scene. Dep. Huff spoke with the driver, who identified himself as Johnny Franks. Dep. Huff told Franks the reason for the traffic stop, and Franks told Dep. Huff that he did not have insurance on the pickup. Franks also told Dep. Huff that he did not have his operator’s license in his possession.
Dep. Huff had Franks step out of the pickup to speak with him. Det. Massey then deployed K9 Leo to conduct a free-air sniff of the pickup. Det. Massey told Dep. Huff that K9 Leo had alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from the pickup. At that time, Narcotics Detective Tan Hudson arrived on the traffic stop and assisted with the investigation and search. Dep. Huff then searched Franks and found drug paraphernalia on his person.
Det. Massey removed the front passenger, identified as Joshua Partin, from the pickup. Det. Hudson removed the rear passenger, identified as Christopher Harness. Both Partin and Harness were searched.
During the search of the pickup, in the area where Harness had been seated, Det. Hudson located syringes. Det. Hudson then spoke with Harness and conducted another search of his person. Det. Hudson detected a baggie located inside Harness’s pants. This baggie was retrieved and contained a substance consistent with methamphetamine.
Det. Hudson then searched Partin’s person and located two baggies. One baggie was found to contain suspected fentanyl, and the other, suspected methamphetamine. Partin was also found to be in possession of methadone.
Franks, Harness, and Partin were all lodged in the Pulaski County Detention Center and charged with the following:
Franks, 42, of Somerset, was served with a bench warrant for contempt of court and lodged on a bond of serving twenty-two days in jail or to pay $1,083.00. Franks was also cited for No Insurance, No Registration Plates, and Operating on a Suspended or Revoked Operator’s License. Franks is still currently in jail;
Harness, 48, of Science Hill, was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, Second Offense – Methamphetamine and is still currently in jail on a $5,000 cash bond;
Partin, 33, of Somerset, was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree – Fentanyl, and Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, First Offense – Methamphetamine and is still currently in jail on a $10,000 cash bond.
Dep. Huff, Det. Massey, and Det. Hudson were assisted on the scene by Lieutenant Richard Smith and Deputy Gerald Wooldridge.
