Porter County- On Monday, June 5th at approximately 7:45 a.m., a trooper assigned to the Lowell Post initiated a traffic stop along I-94 at the 26.8 mile-marker on a 2005 VW Jetta for several traffic violations. This location is just east of the S.R. 49 exit ramp in Chesterton. During the traffic stop investigation, a search of the trunk revealed 1.9 lbs. of cocaine that had been concealed in a duffel bag. Both the driver and passenger were arrested and charged with Dealing in Cocaine- a Level 2 Felony. The driver was identified as Briseida Montenegro-Barrera from Aurora, IL, and the passenger as Luis Alberto Sanchez-Espinoza from Jalisco, Mexico. Both subjects were incarcerated at the Porter County Jail.
At approximately 3:00 p.m., the same trooper initiated a traffic stop along I-80 near the 15 mile-marker on a 2006 Toyota Scion for several traffic violations. During the traffic stop, the trooper detected the strong odor of raw marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in 17 lbs. of marijuana products to include marijuana, THC vapes, and THC edibles being seized. The passenger was cited for possession of marijuana and released.
*All suspects are presumed to be innocent until/unless proven guilty in court.
