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Police find $2K of suspected cocaine in butt of Canfield man
AUSTINTOWN
Police found what could be more than $2,000 worth of suspected cocaine in a Canfield man’s buttocks as he was being booked into the Mahoning County jail.
Brandon R. Emery, 22, of South Canfield-Niles Road, faces a felony count of drug abuse as well as another felony count for bringing the suspected drug into the jail. He also faces misdemeanor counts for attempting to hide it from township police and for resisting arrest during a traffic stop, as well as marijuana possession, according to a township police report.
While Emery was being processed by correction officers, they found a large bag of suspected cocaine containing 11 smaller bags inside Emery’s buttocks. Police officers had spotted cocaine leaking from Emery’s pant leg, which came from a hole in another large bag of suspected cocaine in his underwear.
The cocaine weighed 37 grams, according to the report. According to the Global Drug Survey, the average street value for one gram of cocaine is $62, putting the cocaine’s total value at about $2,300.
The charges stemmed from a traffic stop just before 5:30 p.m. Sunday. An Austintown patrolman reported Emery’s vehicle – which was being driven by another person – ran the stop sign along Oregon Avenue, failed to use turn signals and traveled left-of-center twice, according to the report. The officer noted the vehicle smelled like raw marijuana and Emery’s cellphone screen bore marijuana residue.
Officers found a marijuana cigarette underneath the passenger seat of the vehicle. Emery also gave up a bag containing 4 grams of marijuana from his shoe when asked, assuring the officer “that’s it, I promise.”
While officers searched Emery, he reportedly refused to spread his legs apart. Though officers spotted cocaine leaking from Emery’s pants and warned him about additional charges for bringing drugs into the Mahoning County jail, Emery again promised he wasn’t carrying any other drugs.
“No, you can’t do this to me. I can’t go to jail,” Emery reportedly told the officers.
Emery pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor counts during his Monday arraignment before Judge David D’Apolito of Mahoning County Area Court.
Emery will enter pleas later to the felonies. His bond was set at $100,000 on those charges, and he remains in jail, according to court records. He is due back in court Wednesday.