Police arrested two men following a traffic stop after officers reported finding drugs in the vehicle.
Officers of the Carter County Sheriff’s Office arrested Amos Dugger, 35, of 167 Heritage Drive, Elizabethton, and charged him with third offense driving on a revoked license, possession of Schedule III drugs for resale and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Officers also arrested Scott Russell, 43, 391 Copley Branch Road, Butler, and charged him with possession of Schedule II drugs for resale, possession of Schedule III drugs for resale and possession of drug paraphernalia. Officers also served Russell with a warrant charging him with failure to report to serve jail sentence.
On Friday afternoon around 1:20 p.m., CCSO Sgt. Nick Andes said he was driving on Broad Street in Elizabethton with CCSO Deputy Chief Investigator Mike Little when he saw a green Honda driven by Dugger turning on Broad Street. Andes said he knew Dugger’s license to drive had been revoked. “I also know from past dealings with Mr. Dugger that he is heavily involved in the drug trade and has numerous arrests for drug related offenses,” Andes said.
Andes and Little conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle in the parking lot of a city business. As officers approached the vehicle, Andes noted the vehicle was acting strangely. “I observed that the passenger was very nervous and even though it was warm outside he had covered himself in a heavy coat,” Andes said.
Little confirmed Dugger’s driver’s license was revoked and Andes asked the passenger if he had a valid driver’s license. “The passenger stated that he did have a license but that it was probably expired,” Andes said, adding the passenger identified himself as “Jeremy Burleson.” Andes said the man later admitted that he was actually Scott Russell and officers found he was wanted on an outstanding warrant charging him with failure to report to serve jail time.
Elizabethton Police Department Cpl. Sarah Ellison-Dingus, her K9 partner Kero, and an officer with the EPD VICE unit responded to the scene to assist Andes and Little with a search of the vehicle.
While performing a walk around search, Ellison-Dingus said K9 Kero alerted on both the driver door and the passenger door. While performing a K9 sniff of the inside of the car, Ellison-Dingus said Kero alerted on the passenger seat and the center console.
After the K9 sniff was completed, officers conducted a hand search of the vehicle and located several items of drug paraphernalia, a crystallized substance believed to be crystal methamphetamine, several different kinds of prescription pills, plastic bags and a set of digital scales. Andes said officers also seized $1,218 in cash as well as the vehicle.