Tennessee man is jailed for heroin possession

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Phone call to sheriff's department led to the arrest

BENTON -- A Saturday phone call to the Scott County Sheriff's Department regarding a suspicious person resulted in a Tennessee man being jailed for possession of heroin.

In custody is Daniel Steven Smith, 25, of Bartlett, Tenn., charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bond has been set at $10,000.

According to a news release from Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter, Rhonda Elder, a deputy, received a call Saturday evening to investigate a suspicious person at a convenience store near Interstate 55 in Benton. Employees there said the man in question had spent a lot of time in the store's restroom.

Elder contacted the suspect, Smith, who said he had been sick. When Smith left the business employees checked the restroom and located what appeared to be drug paraphernalia.

After looking at the found objects, Elder went after the suspect, who had left the property and was traveling southbound on the interstate. Elder stopped the vehicle and Smith admitted the paraphernalia and white substance, which field tested positive for heroin, were his.

Walter said this kind of cooperation between observant citizens and law enforcement is one of the best tools the county has in fighting crime.

"Citizens reporting what they see in a timely matter and deputies responding to their reports then following up to resolve the issue is what it is all about," he said.

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