A routine traffic stop late Sunday afternoon ended in the arrest of a Blountstown man on meth charges.Jessie Lee Turner, 22, has been charged with possession of meth, drug paraphernalia and less than 20 grams of cannabis. He was also cited for speeding, failure to wear a seatbelt, and unlawful tint on his windows.
According to the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Dep. Bobby Sims pulled Turner’s vehicle over in Altha for speeding and Sgt. Jared Nichols provided backup. Prior to the stop, a tip was received that Turner had purchased pseudoephedrine, a cold medicine used to manufacture meth, at a Marianna pharmacy. Turner was already on the radar of area law enforcement after allegedly purchasing large quantities of pseudoephedrine over the past few months.
Sgt. Nichols requested permission to search the vehicle and Turner refused. Upon being questioned by Sgt. Nichols about his most recent pseudoephedrine purchase, Turner reportedly became nervous and agitated, stating he did not want a police K9 walking around his vehicle and requesting an attorney be called to the scene on his behalf. Sgt. Nichols advised Turner he was free to call any attorney of his choosing.
Cpl. Eddie Dalton and his K9 Gina arrived and the dog sniffed the exterior of the vehicle. When K9 Gina gave a positive alert for narcotics, the vehicle was searched while Turner and his two passengers stood by. A propane torch and Coleman fuel, commonly used to cook meth, were discovered, along with a package of pseudoephedrine. A glass pipe with meth residue was found and Turner claimed ownership. A plastic bag of marijuana, a small piece of marijuana bud, a hollowed out pen with meth residue, and several cut straws were also recovered.
Turner was booked into the Calhoun County Jail and remained in custody at press time.