TOCCOA, Ga. — A Toccoa woman faces felony drug charges after Stephens County deputies allegedly found about 3.5 pounds of suspected marijuana during a traffic stop on Sunday night.
According to the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, deputies with the agency’s K-9 Unit stopped a vehicle around 7:56 p.m. July 19 on Georgia Highway 365 near the Jeannette Jameson intersection for a traffic violation.
During the stop, K-9 Ria conducted a free-air sniff of the vehicle and alerted to the presence of illegal narcotics, giving deputies probable cause to search the vehicle, the sheriff’s office said.
Deputies reported finding approximately 3.5 pounds of suspected marijuana packaged in large, sealed plastic bags that investigators said appeared to be prepared for distribution.
The driver, identified as Amelia Danielle Negrete, 35, of Toccoa, was arrested without incident and taken to the Stephens County Detention Center.
Negrete was charged with felony possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and a traffic violation.
According to the sheriff’s office, Negrete was released from the Stephens County Detention Center on Monday, July 20, after posting a $20,000 bond.
The sheriff’s office said the investigation remains active and additional arrests are possible. Anyone with information about the sale or distribution of illegal drugs in Stephens County is encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division tip line at (706) 886-7048 or submit information through the agency’s mobile app or the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s See Something, Send Something app.
As with all criminal cases, the charges are allegations, and Negrete is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
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