Finding a stolen vehicle led the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office to search a hotel room and seize multiple kinds of drugs.
Joshua Witt, 34, and Kaylee Rice, 26, are each charged with three counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance — for methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl — and conspiracy. Witt is also charged with being a fugitive from justice.
On April 20, the sheriff’s office learned Witt, who was wanted in Pennsylvania for felony drug charges, was possibly operating a stolen silver Jeep Liberty with Maryland plates, according to a criminal complaint.
Chief Deputy of Law Enforcement Mark Ralston told The Dominion Post the Jeep was stolen from Preston Country.
The stolen vehicle was found at the Waterfront Place parking garage and confirmed as stolen, the complaint states. Deputy R. Stockett and members of the drug task force began watching the Jeep and saw Witt leave his hotel room and put stuff in the Jeep.
Stockett wrote he approached the Jeep in a marked cruiser with its emergency lights on and commanded Witt to put his hands up. Witt refused and had to be physically taken to the ground.
Witt had a gun in the small of his back, what appeared to be a bag of meth, and a “large, folded bundle” of money, the complaint states.
Rice was staying in the same room as Witt and had an active warrant for her arrest, the complaint states. Ralston said the warrant was for possession of a controlled substance.
A search of the stolen Jeep and the two suspects’ luggage found “a large amount of meth, fentanyl, cocaine, U.S. currency, scales, packaging material and ledger.” Ralston could not provide the amounts of drugs or money, citing the ongoing investigation.
Both Witt and Rice are being held in North Central Regional Jail.
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