BOONE COUNTY, Ind. — The Boone County Sheriff's Office arrested a man who possessed counterfeit oxycodone pills during a traffic stop on Thursday.
According to a press release, police first observed Richard McKee driving at a high rate of speed on Interstate 65 around 8:30 p.m.
Police reported that they ultimately initiated a traffic stop with McKee because he slowed down abruptly and changed lanes without signaling as he passed a stationary sheriff's office vehicle.
During the stop, a deputy smelled the odor of marijuana emanating from the car McKee was allegedly driving. Police then conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle and found 8.71 pounds of counterfeit oxycodone pills believed to be laced with fentanyl, 1.5 pounds of marijuana, a large sum of U.S. currency and counterfeit money.
Photos courtesy of the Boone County Sheriff's Office.
After the search, McKee was arrested and booked into the Boone County Jail. He now faces the following preliminary charges:
- Dealing in a narcotic drug — Level 2 Felony
- Counterfeiting — Level 6 Felony
- Dealing in marijuana — Level 6 Felony
- Possession of marijuana — Class B Misdemeanor
The maximum penalty in Indiana for a Level 2 Felony like dealing in a narcotic drug is a 30-year prison sentence and a fine of up $10,000.
As of this article's publication, no additional information on McKee's arrest had been made available.