Meth, pipes, scale seized in traffic stop
One of the Gallup men arrested May 3 after a routine traffic stop led to drug trafficking and possession charges, remained jailed this week at the McKinley County Adult Detention Center, a jail official said.
Wade Rodriguez, 23, was jailed on a $3,000 cash only bond, Jail Warden Steve Silversmith confirmed.
Rodriguez and Aaron Gonzales, 26, were stopped at about 10:16 pm by Deputy Johnson Lee of the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office. Rodriguez was charged with trafficking a controlled substance and with the possession, delivery or manufacturing of drug paraphernalia.
Gonzales, the driver of the white Nissan Versa the two were riding in, was issued a non-traffic citation for carrying a meth pipe. Gonzales was not jailed in the incident, but Gonzales was arrested and bonded out from the detention center two months ago on a possession, delivery and manufacturing drug charge, jail records show. Lee stated in the police report that he believed Gonzales had a warrant out, but after checking, he did not, Lee wrote in his report.
Lt. Pat Salazar of the sheriff’s office conducted a news conference on the traffic bust last week.
“We really want to laud the job our deputies are doing out there to get rid of drugs and people associated with drugs as far as McKinley County is concerned,” Salazar said at the conference.
The routine traffic stops usually lead to deputies uncovering drugs or something related to drug activity, Salazar noted. Lee and A.J. Noriega, also of the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office, have been particularly aggressive in pinpointing criminal activity, Salazar said.
Lee’s report noted that Rodriguez had a meth pipe, a scale and a red baggie that contained “crystal-like substances” in his jacket pocket. The substances were ultimately identified as methamphetamine, Lee noted in the report.
By Bernie Dotson
Sun Correspondent
