Tamassee Man Arrested for Meth Trafficking After Routine Traffic Stop in Seneca
Joseph Lee Pinard, 36, was arrested in Oconee County after a deputy found over 12 grams of methamphetamine during a vehicle search near Seneca, SC.
Oconee County Man Jailed on Methamphetamine Trafficking Charge
A 36-year-old man from Tamassee remains in custody at the Oconee County Detention Center following an overnight arrest on a charge of Trafficking in Methamphetamine, oconeelaw.com reports.
Joseph Lee Pinard, of Slick Road, was booked into the facility at approximately 2:06am after a routine traffic stop near Seneca escalated into a drug investigation. Pinard faces an additional charge of Furnishing Contraband into a Detention Facility.
Late Tuesday evening, a deputy assigned to the Uniform Patrol Bureau spotted a gray 2006 Hyundai Tucson travelling on Sandifer Boulevard with an expired registration sticker. Closer inspection revealed the vehicle's tag was registered to a different car — a 2006 Kia Optima — prompting the deputy to initiate a traffic stop.
The vehicle pulled into a nearby business car park on Sandifer Boulevard. The deputy made contact with the driver, identified as Pinard, who gave consent to search the vehicle. During that search, a quantity of methamphetamine was recovered.
Pinard was placed under arrest and transported to the detention centre. During the booking process, a detention deputy discovered an additional quantity of methamphetamine on Pinard's person inside the facility.
In total, approximately 12.75 grams of methamphetamine were seized during the traffic stop, with a further 1.53 grams recovered at the detention centre. Following consultation with a judge, two arrest warrants were obtained against Pinard.
Pinard is currently awaiting a bond hearing. The Oconee County Sheriff's Office says its investigation is continuing.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)