What started as a routine traffic stop in Chesterfield on Wednesday quickly turned into a full-blown bust, after officers say they pulled methamphetamine, heroin and a firearm from a vehicle and hauled both occupants off to jail. Police also reported that the driver and passenger had active warrants and were driving on revoked or suspended licenses.
In a Facebook post with the headline "Chesterfield Isn't Methin' Around," the Chesterfield Missouri Police Department said Detective Broeker first spotted the vehicle rolling down the interstate without license plates. According to the post, the driver then slowed to about 10 miles per hour under the speed limit and hovered alongside the patrol car, which was enough for officers to pull the car over and contact the occupants, according to Chesterfield Missouri Police Department.
What officers say they found
Once the car was stopped, officers reported finding drug paraphernalia with methamphetamine residue inside the vehicle. According to the department, one of the occupants was carrying both methamphetamine and heroin. A backpack then produced even more methamphetamine along with a firearm, and police say both people in the car were taken into custody.
Arrests and charges
According to the department's post, one person was booked on multiple offenses, including delivery of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), possession of a controlled substance (heroin) and possession of drug paraphernalia. Officers also listed unlawful use of a weapon, specifically felon in possession of a firearm, and noted that both occupants had active warrants and revoked or suspended driver’s licenses, according to Chesterfield Missouri Police Department.
Legal context
Missouri law bars convicted felons from possessing firearms and defines unlawful use of weapons under Chapter 571 of the Revised Statutes. As outlined by the Missouri Revisor of Statutes, RSMo §571.030 covers unlawful use of weapons, while RSMo §571.070 addresses possession by a convicted felon and carries felony-level penalties, according to the Missouri Revisor of Statutes.
Local drug trends
Stimulants like methamphetamine remain a major part of Missouri’s overdose and enforcement picture, particularly in the St. Louis region. A University of Missouri–St. Louis analysis summarized by Missourinet and state data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services show stimulants figure prominently in overdose statistics across the state.
Chesterfield police say the people involved were booked and that the investigation remains active. The department posted the update to its Facebook page and asked anyone with information about the case to contact investigators.
