California men arrested on drug possession charges

Two California men face felony charges related to possession of THC, marijuana and meth after their van was searched following a traffic stop and a wide range of controlled substances were discovered scattered throughout the vehicle.

On July 10, a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper was patrolling I-90 near mile marker 187 when a white van approached at a speed radar recorded as 96 mph. The trooper conducted a traffic stop and approached the vehicle, observing a male driver in the front seat.

The driver, later identified as Thomas Vandort of California, allegedly claimed he was going fast because he needed to go to the bathroom and let his dog go to the bathroom. When asked why he did not let his dog out at the last pull-out area at mile marker 177, the driver allegedly said he did not see it.

While looking around the interior of the van, the trooper reports observing a vape pen with a cartridge he recognized as similar to THC cartridges. The trooper was given permission to retrieve and identify it and reports the glass cartridge was indeed labeled THC.

During the interaction, the trooper states in his affidavit that he observed a male lying on the floor in the cargo area of the vehicle. When asked, Vandort allegedly said he was giving him a ride to Minnesota or Missouri, but couldn’t remember which.

The passenger identified himself as John Skaalerud, also of California.

Vandort allegedly told the trooper he had separated from his wife around three weeks beforehand and she had moved to South Dakota. He claimed to be taking her belongings to her new house, while Skaalerud was moving to Minnesota and Vandort’s daughter had moved into Skaalerud’s old house.

Vandort was frisk searched and placed in the patrol vehicle while holding his dog on a leash through the window. Once at the vehicle, Vandort allegedly said there was a bag of dispensary products in the driver side door with some THC oil he was taking to his wife.

Skaalerud was also instructed to exit the vehicle, frisk searched and placed in the patrol vehicle of a second trooper.

The trooper conducted a probable cause search and located a box with several prescription pill bottles in the passenger door storage area, as well as a vape pen with a suspected THC cartridge. One of the bottles allegedly contained green leafy buds consistent with suspected marijuana.

The trooper also located a brown paper bag in the storage compartment in front of the passenger seat, which also contained suspected marijuana buds, as well as three vape pen cartridges allegedly containing THC.

In the center console, the trooper allegedly found a glass pipe with the burnt residue of suspected marijuana, while the driver side door pocked contained a brown paper bag with nine “nug cones” inside and two more THC vape cartridges.

Under the passenger seat, the trooper reports finding a clear glass pipe with white residue commonly used for smoking methamphetamine, beside which was a clear bag containing a green leaf bud and shake of suspected marijuana.

In a bag in the back cargo area, the trooper allegedly found a plastic cylinder containing several clear baggies, with the top one containing a nugget of suspected methamphetamine and the other two containing ground white crystal powder.

In another storage area, the trooper reports finding a water bong containing suspected marijuana residue. The back four to five feet of the van was allegedly packed with boxes, which were not searched at the roadside due to the potential traffic hazard.

Vandort allegedly claimed he was taking two of the THC cartridges to his wife and was going to share the other items he bought with her, as he was planning to spend a few days with her in the hopes of working things out. He also allegedly claimed ownership of the marijuana glass pipe but denied knowledge of the meth pipe or meth.

Skaalerud allegedly claimed ownership of both THC vape pens and the marijuana in the box of prescription medications, as well as the brown bag. He, too, allegedly denied any knowledge of the meth pipe or meth and stated a test would reveal he had not used anything but marijuana.

The trooper reports that he returned to Vandort and questioned him again about the meth-related items. Vandort allegedly went from denying knowledge to admitting knowledge but claiming to be unsure how it got under the back seat.

Eventually, reports the trooper, Vandort admitted he had considered smoking along the way but decided not to. He claimed ownership of a number of other items located during the search.

Skaalerud has been charged with one felony and one misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance. Vandort has been charged with one felony count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver; one felony count of possession of a controlled substance; and two misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance.