Sheriff’s deputies confiscate pot, pills and money in traffic stop near Corbin; two arrested

Whitley County Sheriff’s deputies confiscated cash, marijuana, pills and a gun following a traffic stop about five miles south of Corbin late Tuesday evening, and arrested two people on drug trafficking charges.

About 9 p.m. Tuesday, Sgt. Shawn Jackson observed two people leaving Bell’s Country Store on Cumberland Falls Highway, who appeared to be under the influence.

The two subjects exited the store, entered a 1999 Jeep Cherokee, and in an attempt to elude the deputy failed to illuminate their headlights, Sheriff Colan Harrell said in a press release.

After stopping the vehicle without incident, Jackson discovered that the driver and passenger were both "highly intoxicated," Harrell wrote.

Both failed all field sobriety tests and were placed under arrest.

The driver told police he had taken Oxycodone, Xanax and one other drug, according to his arrest citation. The passenger told police she had snorted four Xanax bars, according to her arrest citation.

After getting permission to search the vehicle, deputies found several schedule four narcotics, including Xanax, Soma, and another drug in the console of the Jeep along with several baggies of marijuana, which had been processed for sale, according to arrest citations and the press release.

Police also recovered a small revolver handgun, and a large amount of cash inside the vehicle, Harrell said.

Deputies received permission to search the driver’s residence at 514 Stoney Fork Road, and discovered a large amount of processed marijuana inside, according to the press release.

Jackson charged the driver, Brice Mills Jr., 46, and passenger, Heather McQueen, 48, of Highway 26, with third-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and trafficking in marijuana over eight ounces but less than five pounds.
Mills was also charged with careless driving, no insurance, expired registration, driving while under the influence, and possession of handgun by a convicted felon.

McQueen was also charged with public intoxication. Both were lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center.
Judge Fred White entered not guilty pleas on their behalves during their arraignment Thursday afternoon in Whitley District Court.

White set a $5,000 cash bond for McQueen and a $25,000 cash bond for Mills. White further ordered both to be placed on ankle-monitoring bracelets if they post bond.

During the arraignment, White asked Mills if he had any money he could use to hire a lawyer and Mills replied he had money that police confiscated. He claims the money wasn’t drug money as police contend, but money that he and McQueen had won in a lawsuit.

White scheduled a Sept. 27 preliminary hearing in the case.

Deputies Cody Harrell and Tim Baker assisted at the scene.