From WRIL
A 19 year old Middlesboro man has once again been arrested days after being released on bond in regard to police finding Methamphetamine at a local storage unit.
Dakota Owens was arrested Thursday night February 14, 2019 at 7:40pm by Middlesboro Officer Nick Capps on Tracy Ridge Road in a red Toyota pickup truck. He was booked in to the Bell County Detention Center at 8:16pm.
He has been charged for an incident on Monday February 11th by Middlesboro Officer Chris Barnes with buying/possessing drug paraphernalia and trafficking in controlled substance 1st degree, 1st offense greater than 2 grams – Methamphetamine. He is being held on a $25,000 cash bond.
On February 11th at approximately 7:15pm, Officer Barnes went to Mars Storage Units on 15th street to assist Detective Joe Holder on a traffic stop of a gray Cadillac driven by Owens. Det. Holder states in a report that the vehicle was coming out of the storage unit's gate as he arrived on scene. The detective also stated in the report that there had been several tips that there was suspected drug activity coming from one unit in particular. The owner of the units, Sam Mars, confirmed that there was a high volume of traffic at all hours of the night after reviewing video surveillance.
Mars confirmed that 18 year old Steven King - arrested with Owens on the 11th - was the renter of the unit in question.
King was also known to have active warrants.
As the officers were about to place Dakota Owens under arrest for the warrant, Barnes states that he was talking to someone on a cellphone named Steven. Owens was asked where King was and was told he was at the storage unit.
Barnes requested assistance for another officer. Lt. Eddie Myers arrived on scene and the two went to the unit, knocked, and requested that whoever was inside was to come out. The officers heard a voice saying to give them a minute, heard a car door shutting, and then Steven King raised the unit door half way, came out, shut the door back, locking it.
He was arrested for the outstanding warrants and Barnes states in the report that while the door was open a strong odor of Marijuana was coming from inside.
The officers contacted Bell County K-9 Officer James Taulbee and K-9 Giro who met with Det Holder. Giro alerted immediately on the front door of the unit.
While Officer Barnes and Deputy Taulbee stayed on scene, Detective Holder went to Middlesboro Police headquarters, typed up a search warrant and had it signed. He returned and the men made entry into the unit to find what appeared to be a crystal like substance laid out on a table in a line. Also inside the unit was a gray 2007 Ford Mustang which was registered to Dakota Owens.
The report goes on to state that upon further investigation the officers found a red backpack in the trunk of the vehicle containing a large ziplock bag with a crystal like substance inside suspected to be Methamphetamine weighing 88 grams. They also found two sets of digital scales, a box of baggies, a pack of baggies, and a 9mm Keltec semi-automatic pistol that was loaded.
Owens was released from the Detention Center on a $623.00 bond on February 11th regarding an outstanding pay or stay warrant. Steven King was also released the 11th on bond of $2500 for four outstanding warrants regarding motor vehicle traffic issues.
Also arrested with Owens on Thursday night was 19 year old Dillion Overton of Middlesboro. Overton had three outstanding failure to appear bench warrants.
He was lodged in the Bell County Detention Center on a $500 bond.