Traffic stop leads to additional charges when 19 bags of crack found in man's pants

YOUNGSTOWN — Police and corrections officers booking a man into the Mahoning County jail late Friday evening found 19 bags of crack cocaine in his pants.

Reports said officer Ken Bielik was on patrol about 10:45 p.m. when he spotted a car driven by Bryan Gipson, 31, of Miami Avenue, traveling left of center for two blocks on McGuffey Road near Kenneth Street.

Bielik tried to pull the car over but the car did not stop until it got to Gipson’s driveway, reports said. Reports said Gipson told Bielik he did not pull over right away because his car was about to overheat and he was close to home.

Reports said a records check showed Gipson had two open suspensions on his license and a search found two pills in one of the pockets of his pants. He was taken to the jail on charges of diving under suspension and possession of drugs.

Officer Jay Fletcher took Gipson to the jail and while he was being booked, the crack cocaine was found in a second pair of pants Gipson had on, reports said. Additional charges of trafficking in drugs and illegal conveyance of drugs into a detention facility were added.