For further information please contact: Sgt. Kent Casey
417-359-1500 ext. 2229
DS081407-1
August 14, 2007

EMPHASIS: Traffic Stop On I-44 Results In Marijuana Seizure


On August 11, 2007, a Missouri state Highway Patrol trooper stopped an eastbound Jeep Cherokee on Interstate 44 in Lawrence County for a traffic violation. The stop and subsequent investigation resulted in the seizure of approximately three pounds of marijuana.

At approximately 10:50 a.m., a 1999 Jeep Cherokee bearing Oklahoma license plates was stopped near the 58-mile marker for a speeding violation. Upon initial contact with the driver the trooper detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from the interior of the vehicle. Several inconsistencies were found during conversations with the driver and passenger prompting the trooper to ask for consent to search the vehicle, which the driver granted. The search revealed approximately three pounds of marijuana concealed in a backpack.

The driver, Cameron T. Smith, 20, of Oklahoma City, OK, was arrested for possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and transported to the Lawrence County Jail in Mt. Vernon, MO.

The charges for which Cameron T. Smith was arrested are mere accusations and are not evidence of guilt. Evidence in support of the charges must be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty it is to determine guilt or innocence.

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