A local man faces charges of illegal possession of drugs and a weapon after being arrested by Smithville Police.
Chief Randy Caplinger said 54 year old Fred Dowell, Jr. of 344 Smith Road is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, simple possession of a schedule II controlled substance ( four grams of crack cocaine), unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia (homemade crack pipe), and a third offense of driving on a revoked license. Dowell was also issued a citation for failure to maintain proper lane of travel.
After receiving several complaints of possible drug trafficking from Dowell’s home, Detective Matt Holmes reports that Smithville Police executed a search warrant there on Tuesday, April 12th. When officers arrived they found four other men in the home, but not Dowell. Police also found a set of scales, some drug residue, and hidden inside a desk drawer was a semi-automatic pistol. A warrant was then drawn up charging Dowell with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Detective Holmes said Dowell is a convicted felon in a previous criminal case in Putnam County.
Eleven days later, on Saturday April 23rd, Officer Brad Tatrow stopped a green Dodge truck on Bright Hill Road for a traffic violation. Dowell was the driver. A check of his license revealed them to be revoked. A search of his vehicle yielded a bag containing about four grams of crack cocaine and a homemade crack pipe. Dowell was placed in custody and charged in the cases. His bond totals $9,500.
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