Potosi Man Charged With Drug Trafficking After K-9 Alert, Sheriff Says

POTOSI, Mo. — A Potosi man faces a second-degree drug-trafficking charge after a Washington County deputy found suspected methamphetamine in a vehicle during an investigation, according to the sheriff’s office.

The incident occurred Wednesday, Nov. 4, when a deputy saw a person with outstanding warrants sitting in a vehicle at his residence. The deputy contacted the man and took him into custody on the warrants, Sheriff Dwayne S. Reed said in a news release.

During the investigation, K-9 Hart conducted an exterior sniff of the vehicle and alerted to the possible presence of narcotics. Deputies then searched the vehicle and found a red plastic bag containing a crystal-like substance weighing about 58.8 grams, according to the release.

The substance tested positive for methamphetamine in a field test, the sheriff’s office said.

Jajuan Welch, of Potosi, was arrested and charged with trafficking drugs in the second degree. Bond was set at $25,000 surety.

The sheriff’s office said the case highlights the role of its K-9 teams in assisting deputies. The allegations described in the release have not been proven in court