K9 Tega assists in felony traffic stop

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Paul Shoffner, 47, of Belle Center, was arrested on multiple drug charges Sunday, Sept. 22, following a traffic stop executed by deputies from the Logan County Sheriff’s Office in the area of State Route 235 near Ash Avenue in Stokes Township.

Deputies on patrol around 3:30 p.m. observed the defendant operating his vehicle northbound in that location with an obstructed license plate and initiated a traffic stop.

Upon making contact with Shoffner, he appeared overly nervous, deputies said. The vehicle Shoffner was driving reportedly had orange wheels sitting at a house in the area within the last week that deputies to have users of narcotics and methamphetamine present.

K9 Officer Tega was requested to conduct an open air search of the vehicle and he returned a positive hit on the vehicle.

A search of the trunk turned up a clear glass pipe and a small bag containing a white crystal-like substance, identified as methamphetamine. The total weight of the methamphetamine was approximately 2.42 grams.

Shoffner was arrested and charged with fifth-degree felony possession of a controlled substance and a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was lodged in the Logan County Jail.