Pair caught with crack cocaine, Ecstasy

A Springfield man and a Cavendish woman were allegedly caught with crack cocaine and a large amount of Ecstasy in their glove compartment Tuesday after police stopped their vehicle Monday on Interstate 91.

http://www.reformer.com/ci_14425235

Pair caught with crack cocaine, Ecstasy

By JAIME CONE

Brattleboro Reformer • Thursday February 18, 2010

BRATTLEBORO -- A Springfield man and a Cavendish woman were allegedly caught with crack cocaine and a large amount of Ecstasy in their glove compartment Tuesday after police stopped their vehicle Monday on Interstate 91.

Evan J. Cox, 23, and Britney S. Parson, 20, had 5.2 ounces of Ecstasy in the vehicle, according to a police affidavit by Vermont State Trooper Tyson Kinney, enough to charge them with felony drug possession.

Kinney stopped the 2009 gray Dodge Charger driven by Cox in the northbound lane of the highway in Vernon for an allegedly defective rear license plate light.

Cox allegedly told the officer that he was returning home to Springfield after visiting his grandfather in New Haven, Conn.

A check of Cox's criminal record revealed that he had been arrested on Dec. 16 for possession of cocaine, according to Kinney's affidavit.

Cox told Kinney that his previous case was ongoing and that he could still leave the state to visit relatives in New Hampshire and Connecticut.

Kinney called Cox's grandfather, who said that Cox had visited him two weeks ago but that he had not seen Cox recently. Investigation allegedly revealed that Cox was not supposed to leave Vermont, and he was arrested for violations of conditions of release. Police said that while searching Cox during his arrest, they found more than $300 in his pocket.

His vehicle was seized and transported to the Brattleboro Advertisement barracks, where it was searched.

A parking ticket dated Feb. 14 from New York City was found on the front windshield of the vehicle.

Police allegedly found the Ecstasy as well as 0.5 ounces of crack cocaine when they searched the vehicle later that day.

Police also found $5,500 cash in Parson's purse after she consented to a search a her belongings in order to retrieve them from the trunk of the vehicle.

The cash was wrapped in two different bundles, Kinney's affidavit states. One of them, Kinney said, was wrapped in a small, black rubber band.

"I know based on my training and experience (this method is) commonly used to wrap bundles of heroin," Kinney said.

Parson was released with a citation to appear in court for possession of Ecstasy and cocaine as well as providing false information to a police officer.

Cox was held at Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield for lack of $50,000 bail.

He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Tuesday to possession of both drugs as well as providing false information to a police officer and was held on $25,000 bail.

If found guilty, Cox will face up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $100,000 or both for possession of ecstasy, one year in prison, a fine of up to $2,000 or both for possession of cocaine and up to one year in prison, a fine of up to $1,000, or both for providing false information to a police officer.