At approximately 11:15 p.m. on July 9, 2017, a Red River Parish Sheriff’s Office (RRPSO) deputy initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling north on US Hwy 71 near Almond Brother’s Lumber Company. The driver was identified as Joseph Jones of Coushatta.

Upon approaching Jones, the deputy detected a strong odor of marijuana emanating from his person. A green leafy substance was also observed protruding from his mouth.

As the deputy neared the vehicle, he once again was met with a strong odor of marijuana. Jones acknowledged that a passenger had smoked the illegal substance inside his car earlier in the day. He also admitted that some marijuana cigarettes, known as “doobies”, might still be present in the vehicle.

One gram of suspected marijuana was found during a search of the car. Also recovered were twenty-eight Hydrocodone pills and one and a half Xanax bars, all of which Jones possessed without a prescription. All items were collected as evidence.

Jones was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Red River Parish Jail for booking. During the booking process, deputies suspected that Jones had additional drugs on his person. An additional 5 grams of suspected marijuana were subsequently recovered by deputies.

On July 10, 2017 Joseph C. Jones, B/M, age 32 of the 2000 block of Springville Road, Coushatta, LA was charged with Possession of Schedule II CDS (Controlled Dangerous Substance) with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Schedule IV CDS, Proper Equipment Required on Vehicles and two counts of Introduction of Contraband to a Parish Jail. Later that day, he posted a $14,000 bond and was released pending a trial date.