Washington man gets suspended sentence for possession

A Washington man has been given a suspended sentence for a felony charge of possession of methamphetamine after he was pulled over on I-90 because his vehicle’s validation sticker was covered in tape.

On March 25 at around 4:10 p.m., a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper observed a vehicle traveling west on I-90 near milepost 152 with an obscured validation sticker.

The trooper caught up with the vehicle and was still unable to read the year tab sticker as it seemed to be covered with something.

The trooper stopped the vehicle and observed a piece of black tape covering the tab. He made contact with the driver and identified him by his driver’s license as Brian Arnold of Washington State.

As the trooper was completing a license and registration check, a Crook County Sheriff’s Office deputy arrived with his K-9 partner and did an air sniff, which indicated the presence of drugs.

Arnold allegedly admitted to having marijuana in the center console. During a search of the vehicle, the trooper and deputy observed a glass pipe with crystals consistent with methamphetamine under the passenger seat.

Along with two additional troopers, the officers completed a search of the vehicle and located a bag containing 9.2 grams of marijuana, a bottle of meth weighing 13.3 grams and a plastic bag containing 1.2 grams of meth.

Also found were multiple marijuana roaches, a grinder containing marijuana residue and three containers and a glass pipe with marijuana residue.

Arnold was originally charged with one felony count of possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor counts of possession and operation of a vehicle with an obscured validation sticker.

Arnold pled guilty to the felony count as part of a plea agreement. The two misdemeanor counts were dismissed.

Judge Stuart S. Healy III sentenced him to between three and five years of incarceration, with credit for 185 days served in the Crook County Detention Center.

This sentence is suspended pending the successful completion of three years of supervised probation.