News Release

For further information please contact: Sergeant Mike Watson
(417) 359-1500 ext.2229
DS2008-31
November 7, 2008

EMPHASIS: Traffic Stop In Jasper County Nets 500 Pounds Of Marijuana


On November 6, 2008, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper stopped the driver of an eastbound Dodge pickup on Interstate 44 in Jasper County for a traffic violation. The stop and subsequent investigation resulted in the seizure of approximately 500 pounds of marijuana and the arrest of one person.

At approximately 9:13 p.m., the driver of a 2008 Dodge pickup, bearing Ohio registration, was stopped near the 27-mile marker for a lane violation. Following a conversation with the driver, the trooper asked for consent to search the vehicle, which was granted. The search revealed several bundles of marijuana, totaling approximately 500 pounds, in the bed of the pickup.

The driver, Lorena Sanchez Ramirez, was arrested for 1st degree drug trafficking, and transported to the Jasper County Jail, in Carthage, Missouri.

The charge for which Lorena Sanchez Ramirez was arrested is mere accusation and is not evidence of guilt. Evidence in support of the charge must be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty it is to determine guilt or innocence.




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