Local teen arrested with loaded guns, marijuana
A local teen was arrested on felony charges late Thursday after he was allegedly found to be in possession of over 15 grams of marijuana and two loaded guns following a traffic stop.
Jeremiah Lukus Covey, 18, who lists a Bailey Place address, was taken into custody shortly before 10:30 p.m. and charged with simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, punishable by up to life in prison, and possession of a controlled substance, marijuana, with purpose to deliver, punishable by up to six years in prison.
Covey, who lists no prior criminal history, was being held on zero bond and was set to appear Friday in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Garland County sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Hampton stopped a black Hyundai Accent on Industrial Park Drive after he reportedly observed the driver make an illegal U-turn. He noted after the vehicle stopped a white female walked from the nearby railroad tracks and got in the passenger seat.
Hampton made contact with the driver, 18, and three occupants and noted “the overwhelming smell of marijuana” coming from inside the car. After explaining why he stopped them, Hampton asked if there were any illegal drugs or marijuana inside the car and the driver turned to the rear passenger, identified as Covey, and said, “Give it up, man.”
Covey reached into his front pants pocket and pulled out a small baggie of suspected marijuana. Hampton also noted another baggie under Covey’s foot and had him retrieve that one, too. The combined weight was 15.2 grams.
Hampton asked the driver if there were any weapons after noticing a spent 9-mm casing in the driver’s floorboard and he stated, “There shouldn’t be.” The deputy began checking the passengers and allegedly found two pistols, a loaded .38 special revolver and a loaded Hi-Power 9-mm semi-automatic, under Covey’s feet.
In patting down Covey, Hampton also reportedly found seven .38 special bullets in his pocket that matched the gun. At one point, Covey reportedly made a spontaneous statement, “I just want to go home. The weed is mine. I picked it up for a friend and was taking it to him.”
Covey reportedly said he was “familiar with the guns” and that they belonged to a known female who had shown him the guns when she purchased them. He also stated he went to a person’s house to buy the marijuana so he could deliver it to a friend and he put a small amount into a separate baggie for his personal use.