A traffic stop where drugs were discovered led to the execution of a search warrant on a Salem home on Friday, where a large amount of drugs were recovered.
26-year-old Breeann Stanford of West 12th in Flora was arrested following a traffic stop on East Main Street near Lakewood Drive in Salem. She was charged in Marion County Court on Friday with possession with intent to deliver 15 to 100 grams of methamphetamine. The charge is a Class X felony carrying a term of imprisonment of 8 to 40 years in prison and a fine not to exceed $200,000 or the street value of the methamphetamine, whichever is greater. Stanford was also charged with possession of the same amount of methamphetamine and possession of adult-use cannabis in a motor vehicle.
The State’s Attorney’s office asked that Stanford be held without bond, but a judge released her on pretrial conditions. A public defender was appointed to represent Stanford, with a preliminary hearing set for November 4th.
Stanford’s vehicle was searched following a free air sniff of her car by the Salem canine that alerted on the car.
Marion County Sheriff Kevin Cripps says the traffic stop occurred during an investigation of a home for drug activity and drug sales at 221 Marshall Street. A search warrant was approved by a judge on the home Friday and was executed by Salem Police as well as the Marion and Clay County Sheriff’s Departments.
No one was home at the time. Cripps says during the search 228 grams (over 1/2 pound) of suspected methamphetamine, an undisclosed amount of suspected cocaine, a large amount of cannabis, and a large amount of psychedelic mushrooms were also located and seized.
Law enforcement agencies are attempting to locate 54-year-old Larry Woodward, who resides at the home. They hope Woodward will turn himself in to the sheriff’s office. Anyone who knows his whereabouts is asked to call the sheriff’s office or make a tip on the Marion County Sheriff’s Office app under “submit a tip.”
Cripps says this investigation, like many others, requires a lot of time, work, and dedication from the officers investigating them.
