Published: May 20, 2008 02:04 am            

CRIME: Three arrested on drug charges after Lewiston trafffic stop

LEWISTON — Three people were arrested Saturday after a traffic stop on Saunders Settlement Road reportedly yielded about $2,000 in crack cocaine and marijuana.

Sheriff’s deputies reportedly stopped a car driven by Grandville Sanders Jr., 20, 602 18th St., Niagara Falls, for a traffic violation about 3:15 a.m.

Sanders reportedly smelled of alcohol and had no photo identification on him.

As deputies interviewed him, they also spoke with his two passengers — Adam L. Henry, 21, 335 Prospect St., and Mary Beth Schaffert, 23, 157 Prospect St.

During the interviews, Schaffert reportedly seemed evasive and nervous. When deputies asked if she had any illegal drugs, she allegedly paused and said, “Officer, none that would be mine.”

Deputies advised her that a search dog would be called in, and she reportedly said, “I feel sick to my stomach right now. I am so confused.”

Deputies allowed Schaffert to speak with Henry inside the car. Meanwhile, they reportedly found Sanders was driving on a suspended license.

While placing Sanders under arrest for third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, deputies reportedly saw one of the passengers throw several items out of the driver’s-side window.

Deputies found two large plastic bags of suspected crack cocaine and two small baggies of suspected marijuana on the ground.

Schaffert allegedly told deputies Sanders and Henry had told her to hide the drugs on her person, but she “panicked and tossed (the drugs)” because she was scared the drug-sniffing dog would find them.

Schaffert, Henry and Sanders were charged on various counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree obstructing governmental administration and unlawful possession of marijuana.

Sanders is being held in lieu of $5,000 bail.

        

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