Traffic stop turns into drug bust for Magnolia man, juvenile

By Cody Thompson

Messenger Reporter

CROCKETT – A Magnolia man and a juvenile were arrested by the Crockett Police Department after a routine traffic stop turned into a drug bust on Friday, March 31.

Drew Oneal Bacon, 18, was charged with possession of marijuana, and the juvenile was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance.

CPD Corporal Todd Little conducted a traffic stop on a 2006 Hyundai Sonata after the vehicle made an illegal left turn onto East Goliad Avenue (wrong way down a one-way street) on Friday at 10:20 p.m., an affidavit of probable cause said.

“I (Little) made contact with the driver (the juvenile) and the front passenger (Bacon),” the affidavit said. “(The juvenile) said they were coming from Magnolia and meeting his cousin in Crockett.”

Little observed pieces of cigarillo packaging and and small, empty mason jar in the back seat of the vehicle, the probable cause document said.

As Little was writing the warning for the traffic violation, CPD sergeant Alfredo Fajardo arrived at the scene to offer assistance, the affidavit said.

“I (Little) told him (Fajardo) about the cigarillo packages and asked if he wanted to speak to the occupants (of the vehicle) while I finished writing out the warning,” the affidavit said.

Fajardo approached the vehicle and noticed the cigarillo packages and claimed to smell marijuana coming from the vehicle.

Fajardo asked the juvenile and Bacon if there was any marijuana in the car. The juvenile then reached into the center console of the vehicle and revealed a small glass jar containing approximately two ounces of marijuana, according to the affidavit.

The juvenile and Bacon were then asked to step out of the vehicle to be searched.

“I (Little) searched (the juvenile’s) wallet and located a small zip-lock bag that contained suspected powder cocaine,” the affidavit said.

The juvenile then confessed to Little that there was a one-pound bag of marijuana also inside the vehicle.

“Sgt. Fajardo removed a black backpack that was on the back seat (of the vehicle),” the affidavit said. “Inside, he located a large bag of marijuana that weighed (approximately) one pound.”

Bacon admitted to using marijuana with the juvenile earlier that day and knew about the small jar in the center console, but denied knowledge of the one-pound bag of marijuana.

The juvenile and Bacon were then placed under arrest and transported to the Houston County Jail.

The charge of possession of more than four ounces, but less than five pounds of marijuana is considered a state jail felony.

According to Section 12.35 of the Texas Penal Code, “An individual adjudged guilty of a state jail felony shall be punished by confinement in a state jail for any term of not more than two years or less than 180 days. In addition to confinement, an individual adjudged guilty of a state jail felony may be punished by a fine not to exceed $10,000.”

The charge of possession of a controlled substance PG1 is considered a second degree felony.

According to Section 12.33 of the Texas Penal Code, “An individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the second degree shall be punished by imprisonment in the institutional division for any term of not more than 20 years or less than two years. In addition to imprisonment, an individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the second degree may be punished by a fine not to exceed $10,000.”

Cody Thompson may be reached via e-mail at [email protected].