More than a pound of marijuana, crack cocaine, ammunition and a handgun were recovered by officers of the Bellefontaine Police Department shortly after 10 p.m. Sunday, April 23, in the parking lot of the Speedway gas station, 600 E. Sandusky Ave.
Anthony Johnson, 38, of Bellefontaine, was named as a suspect on a report of male threatening a female with a gun in the 400 block of east Chillicothe Avenue, and officers were following up on that call when they observed Johnson’s vehicle parked in the gas station.
Anna Morris, 30, of Bellefontaine, was a passenger in the vehicle when police arrived.
Officers located handgun ammunition loaded in a magazine in the pocket of Johnson’s sweatshirt, but he denied possessing a firearm and declined to consent to officer’s searching his vehicle.
Police are familiar with Johnson and have encountered him and his Chevrolet SUV in the past. They observed in plain view within the vehicle rolled up paper bags and suspected drug activity. K9 Officer Boodik was dispatched to the scene to conduct an open air sniff of the vehicle, and indicated the presence of narcotics inside the SUV.
Officers searched the vehicle and found 696 grams of marijuana in edible and raw form, as well as individually wrapped for potential sale. A digital scale and suspected cocaine was also located in the vehicle. A handgun was found tucked between the driver’s seat and center console.
Johnson was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, carrying a concealed weapon, improper handling of a firearm, trafficking in cocaine, possession of cocaine, trafficking in marijuana and possessing weapons of under disability.
Morris was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, trafficking in cocaine, possession of cocaine and trafficking in marijuana.
Both suspects were lodged in the Logan County Jail.
At the jail, Johnson was confrontational with officers, swearing at them and promising to run and make them chase him during any future encounters.