Probationer arrested after he drops cigarette carton with meth inside while talking to the cops

Justin Bell, 39, of Dora, was arrested Jan. 9 on a $3,000 cash-only bond in a case in which he’s charged with possession of a controlled substance, a class D felony, and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia with prior drug offense, a class A misdemeanor. He was scheduled to have a bond hearing before Associate Judge Raymond Gross Tuesday, Jan. 16. Results of the hearing were not available at presstime. 

According to the probable cause statement prepared by Ozark County Deputy Gannan Moss, at 7:12 p.m. Jan. 7, he and Lt. Matt Rhoades were on uniformed patrol when they saw Bell outside Antler’s Pizza & Package in Gainesville standing next to a truck that he had been known to drive. The officers knew that Bell was on probation and did not have a valid driver’s license, the report said. 

“We stopped to talk with him, and whenever we approached him, he dropped a cigarette carton on the bed of his truck, which landed open. Deputy Sherman observed a plastic container containing a white powdery substance inside the carton. We asked Bell what it was, and he told us it was ‘dope.’ The substance was field-tested by Lt. Rhoades and tested positive for amphetamines,” the report says. 

The officers informed Bell he was under arrest for possession of a controlled substance.

During a search, officers found a needle with suspected methamphetamine inside his pants pocket. Inside his vehicle they also reportedly found two needles, two glass pipes, both of which field-tested positive for amphetamines. 

They also located a container with used cotton filters, commonly used to filter methamphetamines while “loading” needles with the drug, the report says. 

The items were placed into evidence. The methamphetamine in the plastic container weighed 1 gram with the packaging and the filter and in the syringe weighed 3 grams with the needle, the report says. 

Bell is represented by Public Defender Chase Opolka, and the state is represented by Ozark County Prosecuting Attorney Lee Pipkins.