MIAMI COUNTY — The Ohio State Highway Patrol arrested three Detroit men and recovered illegal drugs following a traffic stop on southbound Interstate 75 on Wednesday.
According Sgt. Steven Duteil, a trooper stopped a 2018 Hyandai Tuscon with Pennsylvania plates on southbound I-75 near mile marker 72 for traffic violations. The subjects stated they were on their way to Tennessee.
After observing several criminal indicators, the trooper conducted a probable cause search due to the odor of raw marijuana emitting from the vehicle.
Donnell Hampton, 25, Jamal Irby, 33, and Demetrius McElrath, 32, all from Detroit, Mich., were placed into custody and the vehicle was towed to the Piqua post for further inspection.
Troopers then recovered 28 grams of heroin concealed in a magnetic box under the body of the vehicle.
Suspected cocaine and Schedule II pills were also recovered and sent to the crime lab for further analysis.
Irby, Hampton and McElrath all were charged with second-degree felony possession of controlled substances and fifth-degree felony possession of criminal tools.
Hampton was also charged with two counts of fifth-degree felony possession of drugs.
All three remain incarcerated at the Miami County Jail. They were arraigned in Miami County Municipal Court on Thursday. They entered pleas of not guilty and their bonds were set at $20,000 each.
