Belle Police seize drugs after traffic stop

By Edward Gehlert, Staff Writer
Posted 7/2/25

BELLE — A routine traffic stop in Belle on Wednesday evening led to the discovery of a significant quantity of illegal drugs and the arrest of one individual on multiple charges.

According …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Belle Police seize drugs after traffic stop

Posted

BELLE — A routine traffic stop in Belle on Wednesday evening led to the discovery of a significant quantity of illegal drugs and the arrest of one individual on multiple charges.

According to Belle Marshal Jerry Coborn, the stop occurred at approximately 7:14 p.m. on June 26 near Owens Towing on First Street. The vehicle had three adult male occupants.

During the stop, the backseat passenger was found to have an outstanding traffic warrant and was taken into custody.

Deputy Ryan Ervin, a K-9 handler with the Maries County Sheriff’s Department, arrived on scene to assist, along with Deputy John Durbin and Belle Police Officer Kevin Green, who provided an assist by staging away from the traffic stop to monitor the situation. After the occupants denied consent to search the vehicle, Ervin deployed his K-9 partner, who alerted to the presence of narcotics.

A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a bag containing approximately 28 grams of suspected methamphetamine and nine suspected fentanyl/heroin capsules near the front passenger seat. An additional capsule was located in the front passenger’s pocket.

The individual, Kevin W. Carver, Jr., was arrested on an outstanding warrant and is being charged with  two counts of possession of a controlled substance.

“The driver, I’ve known, has had a suspended license,” Coborn said. “I was running stationary radar and they were doing over the speed limit. Between the speed limit and the fact that in the past he had a suspended license gave me enough probable cause for a stop. Two of the people in the vehicle had been convicted in the past for dangerous drugs. Based on my training and experience I suspected they had drugs in the car. They denied consent to search the vehicle but once the K-9 went around the car and alerted, it was pretty much a done deal. It was a pretty good little find.”

Coborn thanked all officers and deputies who assisted in the stop and reminded the public that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.