Celina Man Accused Of Concealing A Bag Of Methamphetamine In A Bible
Three people were jailed in Hopkins County on felony controlled substance charges following two routine traffic stops 2 days apart. An Oklahoma couple was arrested on controlled substance charges after containers with three different types of THC were found in a vehicle during a State Highway 154 traffic stop late Thursday night. A Celina man was arrested on a possession charge after concealing a bag of methamphetamine in a Bible taken with him to jail Wednesday, according to arrest reports.
SH 154 Traffic Stop
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Justin Wilkerson reported smelling a faint marijuana odor when he made contact with the occupants of a southbound Chevrolet Impala he stopped at 10:58 p.m. March 3 on State Highway 154 near the Hopkins-Wood County line for a traffic violation.
(HCSO jail photo)
Upon receiving ID information on the driver and a VIN number on the car, he requested records checks on the driver and car. A dispatcher advised the vehicle had been reported to Tulsa Police as stolen. Wilkerson had the driver and passenger, identified as 39-year-old Cassi Rebecca Hartley and 34-year-old Bryan Keith “BK” Edwards, exit the car and detained both Sapulpa, Oklahoma residents in handcuffs pending further investigation, Wilkerson noted in arrest reports.
Edwards allegedly admitted to having a marijuana pipe on him; the deputy removed it from him. HCSO Deputy Bobby Osornio then arrived to assist.
Wilkerson reported finding during a probable cause search of the car several containers with a green, leafy substance he suspected to be marijuana; several containers with THS (cannabis derivatives) inside them, including a brown wax-like substance, a brown hash-like substance and a large amount of suspected THC butter; and several items of drug paraphernalia. The Sapulpa, Oklahoma couple admitted the contraband found in the car was THC and marijuana and claimed all of it, Wilkerson alleged in arrest reports.
Dispatchers then advised Tulsa Police Department had been contacted and confirmed the car had been reported to them as stolen. Hartley, however, had claimed she bought the car from a Car-Mart dealer. So, the deputies contacted the Tulsa Police. After reviewing their records, it was determined a clerical error regarding the vehicle being listed as stolen was possible, and further investigation was needed.
Hartley and Edwards were taken into custody at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, March 3, 2022, for possession of the contraband, then transported to jail. The deputy took possession of the contraband and transported it to the sheriff’s office. The car was impounded and released to a towing service.
A deputy weighed the THC upon arrival at the jail. He alleged it weighed approximately 102 grams. Consequently, Hartley and Edwards were booked into Hopkins County jail on a possession of 4 grams or more but less than 400 grams of a Penalty Group 2 controlled substance, according to arrest reports.
Hartley remained in Hopkins County jail Friday night, March 4, 2022, in lieu of a $25,000 bond on the second degree felony charge, according to jail reports.
Traffic Stop Near FM 69 Overpass
HCSO Deputy Elijah Fite reported stopping Kevin Lamont Rushin at 1:35 p.m. March 2 after noticing that the Honda Accord he was driving on the south service road, just east of the FM 69 south overpass didn’t have a front license plate. Upon contact with the man, he noted the vehicle’s registration showed to have expired in May of 2019.
Fite noted the 59-year-old Celina man became nervous while speaking with him, so he asked to search the car. When Rushin refused, Fite asked requested a police canine to respond for an open air sniff search around the car. HCSO Deputy Drew Fisher responded with his K-9 partner, Axe. The police dog gave a positive alert on the car during the sniff search, giving the deputies probable cause to search it, Fite alleged in arrest reports.
Fisher reported finding a glass pipe of the kind commonly used to smoke methamphetamine in the car console. Fite placed Rushin into handcuffs at 1:47 p.m. Wednesday, March 3, 2022, for possession of drug paraphernalia. Rushin reportedly requested that his Holy Bible be removed from the car before the towing service arrived to remove it from the roadside. The Bible was removed and Rushin was transported to Hopkins County jail, the deputy wrote in arrest reports.
While Rushin was being booked into jail, the likely reason the Celina man wanted the Bible was discovered. Jail staff reported finding a baggy containing a crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine in the Bible, and alerted the deputy. Rushin allegedly admitted he knew what the substance was while booking documents were being completed at the book-in counter, deputies noted in arrest reports.
Rushin was charged with possession of the drug paraphernalia found in the console as well as possession of less than 1 gram of the Penalty Group 1/1-B controlled substance methamphetamine in a Bible. The 59-year-old Celina man remained in Hopkins County jail Friday, March 4, 2022, in lieu of $5,000 bond on the controlled substance charge, according to jail reports.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
