Routine vehicle stop in Scott County leads to drug-related arrest by officer
BENTON -- A Scott County police officer in training recently made a routine vehicle stop that resulted in the drug-related arrest of an Oran resident.
According to Scott County Sheriff's Department, deputy Jason Morgan, 25, of Chaffee has been working for the department for two years -- starting in the jail, completing the Southeast Missouri State University Academy and the sheriff's department Field Training Officer Program.
On Feb. 7, Morgan was serving his final few weeks of working a patrol car on his own when he stopped Mark E. Gordon, 32, of Oran for a vehicle equipment violation. The subsequent consent search of Gordon's vehicle yielded 104 grams of marijuana.
Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter said deputies make this kind of arrest all of the time, but this event was a milestone in Morgan's career.
"Jason is one of our own. He started here at the jail, but with a goal to some day work as a patrol officer," Walter said.
Attitude is everything for a law enforcement officer, Walter said.
"Deputies don't do this for money. They do it because they genuinely want to help people and serve their community," Walter said.
Gordon is currently in jail on $75,000 bond for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.