Safety checkpoint results in trafficking charge

Published 12:28 pm Monday, June 3, 2019

A safety checkpoint resulted in one woman being arrested on Saturday. Jowana L. Sturgill, 29, of Kettle Island, was charged with first-degree trafficking a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to the arrest citation, during a safety checkpoint in Pineville, Sturgill was a passenger in a 2007 black Cadillac. Deputies with the Bell County Sheriff’s Office observed Sturgill moving around and refusing to obey commands to keep her hands out of her purse.

The citation states, as a result of a search, deputies found her to be in possession of a small bag of crystal substance believed to be meth, several empty syringes, one glass pipe with residue, one set of digital weighing scales with crystal residue and several empty bags with crystal residue.

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All of the items were allegedly found inside Sturgill’s purse. She was lodged in the Bell County Detention Center before being released on Monday.

Others arrested on felony charges include:

• Michael Lee, 18, second-degree burglary;

• Erica L. Jackson, 36, of Pineville, first-degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine);

• Paula M. Napier, 30, Harrogate, Tenn., first-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, seven bench warrants.