A routine traffic violation on Massillon Road near Krumroy Road escalated into a more substantial police action earlier today. According to a post from the Springfield Township Police Department, Officer Jon McKenzie, with the assistance of his K-9 partner Rex, conducted a stop on a Dodge Ram driven by 49-year-old Robert Butterbaugh of Norton. It was during this encounter that suspicions of more illicit activities surfaced.
The police department's social media statement conveyed that Butterbaugh initially refused a search of his vehicle, prompting Officer McKenzie to deploy K-9 Rex for an "open-air sniff." The canine's reaction signaled the presence of narcotics, giving the officer probable cause to conduct a more thorough search. Within the confines of a repository disguised as an oil can, authorities discovered multiple bags containing a white crystalline substance, equipment suggestive of drug trade, such as a digital scale and packaging materials, and an assortment of pills.
Tests carried out at the scene confirmed the substance to be methamphetamine, amassing over 48 grams. The Springfield Township Police Department's social media post detailed that Butterbaugh has since been taken into custody and faces multiple charges, which include Felony 2 for Trafficking in Drugs and Felony 2 and Felony 5 for Possession of Drugs, as well as a Misdemeanor 4 for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
