Improper plate light, traffic stop lead to felony drug charge

Stock image | St. George News

IVINS – A St. George man was arrested early Thursday morning and charged with multiple drug offenses including felony possession with intent to distribute after being pulled over for not having a proper rear license plate light.

Shane Michael Bounds, of St. George, booking photo posted Dec. 24, 2015 | Photo courtesy of Washington County Sheriff's booking, St. George News
Shane Michael Bounds, of St. George, booking photo posted Dec. 24, 2015 | Photo courtesy of Washington County Sheriff’s booking, St. George News

Shane Michael Bounds, 19, was arrested at 1:48 a.m. near 100 West Center Street in Ivins, according to a probable cause statement filed by Santa Clara-Ivins City Police Department in support of the arrest.

The officer observed a vehicle which appeared to have no rear license plate light, according to the statement, and stopped the vehicle. Upon inspection, the officer found that the license plate light was working, however, it was “not in the holder and was blocked by the spare tire and the rear bumper.”

While making contact with the driver, the officer smelled marijuana and searched the vehicle, the statement said.

Inside a red backpack, the officer found a half-pound of marijuana, two plastic bags containing a white powder that field-tested positive for cocaine, several small paper squares consistent with LSD and an electronic scale with residue on it, and a box of plastic sandwich bags, the statement said.

“All of the items and the quantity through my training I found to be consistent with distribution of controlled substance,” the statement said.

During a search incident to the arrest, Bounds was found to have a paper Utah drivers license in his wallet belonging to someone else. The vehicle was found to have no front license plate.

Bounds was charged with one third-degree felony for possession of  a marijuana with intent to distribute, two class A misdemeanors for possession of cocaine and LSD, a class A misdemeanor for unlawful possession of another person’s identification documents, a class B misdemeanor for possession of drug paraphernalia. Bounds was also cited for improper location or position of plates and failure to illuminate a rear registration plate.

Bounds was booked into the Purgatory Correctional Facility and later released on bond.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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2 Comments

  • chupacabra December 24, 2015 at 4:46 pm

    I don’t know what else to say. What a bunch of …. Blind domestic Terrorists AKA (pigs) punishing an entrepreneur providing goods that his clients want. Unlike the police force that robs every tax payer and enforces inhumane laws, this man provides a product that people want for a price they are willing to play.

    PLEASE. GOOGLE. VOLUNTARYISM.
    Ed. ellipsis.

  • .... December 25, 2015 at 3:07 pm

    Good job by the local law enforcement..keep up the good work

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