Traffic stop on unlicensed car results in arrests of 2 on felony drug charges
A traffic stop on an unlicensed vehicle resulted in the arrests of a local man and woman on felony drug charges early Monday.
James Gary Haas, 37, who lists a Castleberry Street address, and Christine Rachel Korsmo, 35, who lists a Francis Street address, were taken into custody shortly before 7:30 a.m. and each charged with possession of a controlled substance, meth, and possession of drug paraphernalia, each punishable by up to six years in prison.
Haas was also charged with a misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance, marijuana, punishable by up to one year in jail, and Korsmo had a felony warrant for failure to comply. Haas was later released on a $6,000 bond and Korsmo was released on a $7,500 bond and both are set to appear
July 11 in Garland County District Court.
According to court records, Haas was convicted in 2014 in Pike
County of two counts of introducing a controlled substance into the body of another and possession of a firearm by certain persons and sentenced to seven years in prison. He also has a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance, meth, pending from an April 2 arrest in Garland County.
Korsmo was convicted of theft of property over $5,000 on March 26, 2018, and sentenced to eight years’ probation, and on July 10, 2019, of possession of a controlled substance and sentenced to five years’ probation, both in Hot Spring County.
According to the probable cause affidavit, at around 6:30 a.m. Monday, Hot Springs police Officer Jose Castaneda was patrolling the area of Seventh and Greenwood streets when he saw an unlicensed 2006 Honda Accord headed south on Seventh and stopped it in the 100 block of Francis Street.
He made contact with the driver, identified as Haas, and the front seat passenger, identified as Korsmo, and collected information from both. While doing so, Korsmo reportedly told him she might have a warrant. A computer check showed she was an active probationer with a search waiver on file and had a warrant for failure to comply. It also showed Haas was an active parolee with a search waiver on file.
Castaneda took Korsmo into custody on the warrant and put her in his unit and had Haas exit the vehicle so he could search it. The officer allegedly found a baggie with 5.4 grams of marijuana and two sets of scales with marijuana residue. He also allegedly found syringes, one with 20 units and one with 16 units of a dark-colored liquid that later tested positive for meth. The total weight of the meth was reportedly 5.9 grams.
After reading them their rights, Haas reportedly admitted the marijuana and scales belonged to him, but not the two syringes. Korsmo reportedly stated the two syringes were not hers and “she knew nothing about them being inside the vehicle.” Since the syringes were located within reach of both suspects, both were charged.