Traffic stop leads to drug bust

Clay County deputies and members of the Spencer Police Department made a late-night traffic stop over the weekend and their findings led to drug distribution charges.

A deputy stopped a vehicle just after midnight Saturday in the 10 block of West First Street in Spencer and determined that all three occupants had open containers of alcohol in the vehicle.

A further search of the vehicle by the deputy and a Spencer Police Officer led to a suspicion that the driver, 19-year-old Joel Alexander Eli Miller of Woodbine, was in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Officers also found a large amount of marijuana, cash and items used to weigh and distribute marijuana in the vehicle. Miller and 20-year-old David Alan Salcido of Denison were charged with possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver and violation of a drug tax stamp, which are Class D felonies.

They were also charged with possession of alcohol under age 21 and having an open container in a vehicle. Miller faces a first-offense operating while intoxicated charge.

A third occupant, 21-year-old John Purcell of Woodbine, was cited for the open container violation and charged with providing alcohol to minors.

All three men were taken into custody and were placed in the Clay County Jail.