Officers arrest two, seize nearly 3 ounces of meth (Oklahoma)

http://www.muskogeephoenix.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060222/NEWS03/60222038

Law enforcers seized nearly 3 ounces of methamphetamine Wednesday and arrested two people stung by an undercover purchase in the McDonald’s parking lot in Fort Gibson.

Muskogee Police Lt. Bryan Stark said the drug buy was arranged by the department’s special investigations unit after a cooperating witness tipped them off to the planned transaction.

According to Stark, the 74 grams seized is equal to about 370 units, which — if purchased individually — would have a street value of $9,250.

Stark said an undercover officer and a cooperating witness paid $800 for a half-ounce of the crystal methamphetamine, which is referred to on the street as ice. Once the transaction was completed, at about 12:30 p.m., the two men who allegedly sold the drugs were arrested by a Fort Gibson police officer during a traffic stop on U.S. 62.

Stark said police recovered the $800 used to purchase the drugs, another $400, 60 grams of ice, and two scales during a search of the car driven by the two men arrested.

Stark said a couple of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms agents and the Fort Gibson Police Department assisted in Wednesday’s arrests.

Kenneth Collins, 24, of Fort Gibson and Nephtali Esau Jimenez, 20, of Muskogee were arrested. Both men were booked into the Muskogee County/City Detention Facility on complaints of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute.

“It’s not everyday that you bust people running around with three ounces of meth,” Stark said. “I think we’ve got a couple of bad guys in jail.”

You can reach reporter D.E. Smoot at 684-2903 or dsmoot@muskogeephoenix.com.