Iowa men charged with possession and intent to deliver

Two Iowa men face multiple charges related to possession and delivery of marijuana. Keith Gates Jr. and Dontaye Burton were found to be transporting a significant quantity of marijuana products after being pulled over for speeding on Hwy 212.

On December 17 at around 5:40 p.m., a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper was parked on the shoulder of Hwy 212 when a vehicle crested the hill in a posted 45 mph zone at what the trooper estimated to be around 55 mph. His traffic radar confirmed the speed to be 52 mph, so the trooper conducted a traffic stop.

The trooper reports that he approached the vehicle and smelled a very strong odor of raw marijuana before he even got to the open window on the passenger side. The driver, identified as Dontaye Burton, handed over an Iowa driver’s license and registration for the vehicle.

Burton advised that the vehicle was a rental. The trooper asked Burton to accompany him to the patrol vehicle, where he asked about Burton’s trip.

Burton allegedly stated he was coming from, “Uh, Mont, uh, Mont…Seattle. I said Montana.” When asked what he had going on in Seattle, Burton allegedly said he just went to see the mountains and visits either Seattle or Texas because he has family in both places.

Burton allegedly admitted that he and Gates had smoked marijuana while in Seattle but denied there was any contraband in the vehicle.

The trooper returned to the vehicle to speak to Gates, who he observed to be on a video call with a female. The trooper asked Gates to hang up the phone and leave it in the vehicle, which Gates allegedly said he did not feel comfortable with.

The trooper informed Gates that he could smell marijuana, to which Gates allegedly responded that they had smoked in Washington. Gates was placed in the cage of the patrol car and the trooper conducted a vehicle search.

As Gates was being handcuffed, he allegedly advised there were some jars of marijuana in the vehicle. According to the trooper’s report, a search revealed several dispensary jars of suspected marijuana in the center console and a black trash bag in the spare tire well that could be seen through an opening in the rear cargo area.

The trooper opened the spare tire area and found 14 gallon-sized bags containing a leafy substance he recognized as marijuana in the trash bag. This was later measured at 8 lbs 2 oz including the packaging.

Once the vehicle had been towed to the WYDOT shop, a thorough search revealed dispensary type marijuana throughout the vehicle with receipts showing it was purchased in Washington. Several packages of marijuana were allegedly found in the center console, glove box and under both front seats.

Both Burton and Gates face felony counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver, conspiracy to possess a controlled substance and conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to deliver.