Traffic stop yields 4.5 kilos of cocaine
By CASEY BUECHEL - Tribune Staff Writer
Saturday, November 21, 2009 12:48 PM CST
| |
| Courtesy photo
Bryant with seized drugs and handgun. |
Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Highway Patrol trooper Matt Bryant took his first major drug seizure to the DPS drug laboratory in Tyler for testing on Friday. The plastic and duct tape-wrapped packages held 4.5 kilos of cocaine with a street value of approximately $466,000.
Thursday night Bryant had dropped his partner off at home and, at approximately 12:30 a.m. on Friday, made one more traffic stop on Interstate Highway 30 before ending his shift.
The stop proved to be a good one.
"I stopped the suspect at about the 165 eastbound mile marker for following too close," said Bryant, who once served as a Titus County Sheriff's Office patrol deputy before becoming a trooper.
"When I made contact with the driver, Peter Banks, he seemed very nervous and there were indications that he wasn't being truthful with me during our initial contact," Bryant continued.
As the two men continued to talk, Bryant asked Banks for permission to search his vehicle.
Banks gave him verbal consent and within minutes, Bryant had found several sealed packages containing a white substance believed to be cocaine and a Ruger automatic pistol.
At that point, Banks, 33, of England, Ark., went from being detained to being arrested on a first degree felony charge of manufacture/deliver controlled substance, penalty group one, more than 400 grams.
He was also charged with unlawful carrying weapon, which is a Class A misdemeanor. Banks was transported to the Titus County Jail without incident and subsequently was released after posting a $10,000 bond.
If convicted of the charge, Banks could be sentenced to a prison term of up to 99 years to life and a possible $100,000 fine.
