A Union County man traveling with a small dog was caught with 15 pounds of marijuana Feb. 6 during an I-20 traffic stop.
David Marquis Manigault, 42, was charged with trafficking marijuana and cited for suspended registration.
According to reports obtained from the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, Sgt. Leo Sierra pulled over a gray Audi Q70 traveling eastbound on I-20 near milepost 141.5 for following too closely, failure to maintain lane, and a suspended registration. Sierra said he smelled marijuana when he approached the driver, later identified as Manigault, and asked him to get out of the car.
Manigault said he had changed insurance companies, which may have resulted in the suspension of his registration.
When asked about the smell of marijuana, Manigault said he had smoked some before leaving home. Based on Manigault’s admission and the scent, Sierra conducted a probable cause search.
Manigault said there was no marijuana in the car and did not object; however, Sierra found a small black bag containing approximately 10 grams of marijuana in the front passenger area.
He also found a small dog on the back seat of the car, which Manigault said he was taking to North Carolina for breeding.
Sierra said he did not observe any luggage or bags consistent with making a trip of that nature. When Sierra searched the trunk, however, he found a cardboard box containing 15 vacuum-sealed bags, each containing approximately one pound of marijuana.
Manigault was placed under arrest and taken to the Greene County Jail without incident. The dog was taken to Greene County Animal Control, where it was being held, awaiting retrieval by an authorized person.