Zachary DeFries

WARSAW — An Atwood man is facing charges of dealing and possessing meth after a traffic stop.

Zachary Richard DeFries, 28, 322 E. High St., Atwood, is facing charges of dealing in methamphetamine, a level 2 felony, possession of methamphetamine, a level 3 felony, possession of marijuana, a class B misdemeanor, and possession of paraphernalia, a class C misdemeanor.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, an officer with the Kosciusko Sheriff’s Department was southbound on Detroit Street, Warsaw, when he observed a vehicle make an improper lane change. The officer conducted a traffic stop.

The driver of the vehicle was identified as DeFries. The affidavit states that the officer observed DeFries lean over and reach under his passenger seat, prior to the officer approaching the vehicle. The officer could smell marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. DeFries was found to have a suspended license.

The affidavit states that officers searched the vehicle and found a black case that contained a plastic bag containing a large crystal, glass smoking device with residue, digital scales with white residue, two plastic bags that contained marijuana weighing 13.7 grams and empty unused bags. In the vehicle another glass smoking device, a plastic tube body containing a white residue, a .22 caliber rifle, a plastic bag that contained crystal substance and a notebook containing numbers and amounts was found.

The notebook was identified as a drug ledger. The large crystal tested positive for meth and weighed 43 grams, as did the crystal substance in the plastic bag, weighing 1 gram. All the residue tested positive for meth.

DeFries was booked into Kosciusko County Jail and held on $20,250 surety and cash bond. According to court documents, DeFries currently has three open felony cases, two in Kosciusko and one in Allen County.