Corbin man one of two arrested after Laurel deputies find meth, pills, cash

A Corbin man was one of two people arrested early Wednesday morning after Laurel County Sheriff’s deputies recovered separate stashes of Xanax and methamphetamine inside a vehicle, and inside a London motel room that one of them had rented.

Larry C. Helton, 42, of Corbin was charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance – methamphetamine, third-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, and possession of marijuana.

Deputy Gilbert Acciardo, the department’s public affairs officer, said the incident began at approximately 2:45 a.m. when Deputy Landry Collett conducted a traffic stop on a black Nissan Maxima that pulled out from a motel parking lot onto Hal Rogers Parkway in London without stopping for a stop sign.

During the traffic stop, deputies initially determined that the driver, identified as William D. Barrett, 26, of Manchester, had a suspended driver’s license.

Acciardo stated that deputies also located a large amount of currency, along with suspected crystal methamphetamine on Barrett’s person.

K-9 Deputy Gary Mehler along with K-9 “Edge” performed and initial sweep of the vehicle during which Acciardo said Edge alerted to the presence of drugs.

A search of the vehicle turned up a large amount of Xanax and methamphetamine.

Barrett and Helton were taken into custody.

As the investigation continued, deputies returned to the motel and searched the room rented by one of the suspects where they located additional Xanax, suspected methamphetamine, and suspected marijuana.

Barrett was charged with disregarding a stop sign, driving on a DUI suspend license, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance – methamphetamine, and third-degree trafficking in a controlled substance.

They were both lodged in the Laurel County Correctional Center.

Sgt. John Inman, and Deputy Justin Taylor assisted with the investigation.