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Cleveland resident busted in Tennessee with pounds of pot
  
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By ALEX WUKMAN
Alejandro Medina, 32, of Cleveland, was stopped in the late hours of November 30 just outside of Memphis, Tennessee, by a deputy of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. According to the police report, Medina was stopped for “following too closely.”
Medina’s hand reportedly were visibly shaking when he was Deputy Jeff Kemp of the Shelby County Sheriff’s approached Medina’s silver 2003 Chevrolet 3500 extended cab pickup truck with Texas plates.
Kemp looked inside and allegedly noticed that there was a single key in the ignition with no ring. Kemp asked Medina where he was from and where he was going.
In broken English, Medina reportedly replied that he had come from Texas and was headed to Knoxville for two or three days. Kemp looked in the back seat of the pick up and only saw a small single duffle bag.
Kemp then asked Medina to produce insurance for the vehicle and Medina stated that the truck wasn’t his. Medina said that the truck “belonged to a friend.”
The report states that Kemp used his “training and years of experience to know that drug transporters often drive cars that they don’t own.”
Kemp took Medina’s Texas driver’s license back to his patrol car to check for warrants. After not finding any warrants, Kemp gave Medina a Spanish copy of a voluntary search form, which asked Medina if he would consent to letting Kemp search the truck for the presence of narcotics.
Medina agreed and signed the form. Since it was a cold and wet night, Kemp asked Medina if he wanted to take a seat in the patrol car.
Medina again said ‘yes,’ according to the report. Kemp escorted Medina back to the patrol car and returned with his K-9 partner Kazan to search the car.
Kazan allegedly indicated that there was something on the passenger’s side of the across-the-bed tool box. When Kemp asked Medina for the keys to the toolbox, Medina allegedly alternated between saying he didn’t have them or know where they were.
Kemp then called for assistance to take the truck back to the station to search the toolbox. The report states that after the truck was towed to the sheriff’s office, Kemp and another deputy were able to “gain access to the toolbox.”
Once they opened the toolbox, they allegedly discovered 210 pounds of marijuana. The report states that the drugs were separated into 10 bricks and wrapped in plastic.
A Shelby County Sheriff’s Office press release states that the separation and wrapping “is consistent with packaging drugs for sale.”
Medina was arrested on one count of Manufacture/Deliver/Sell of a Controlled Substance To Wit Marijuana, which is a Class A Felony in Tennessee.
If found guilty, Medina could face 8-30 years in prison and a fine up to $200,000. Medina was also charged with Following Too Closely, which is a Class C Misdemeanor and is punishable by a $200 fine and 30 days in jail.
Steve Shulan, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer, said that “not many people go to jail for Following Too Closely.” Shulan also stated that Medina was charged with a third offense, Driving on Roadways Laned for Traffic.
“Medina crossed the white line on the right onto the rumble strip twice before Deputy Kemp pulled him over,” said Shulan. According to the Tennessee Criminal Code, a violation of Driving on Roadways Laned for Traffic carries a warning for the first citation.
There currently is no word on whether or not Medina has a criminal history; however, Detective Scott Felts of the Cleveland PD stated he is interested in seeing if Medina was using his house in Cleveland as a drug storage facility.
Medina’s hand reportedly were visibly shaking when he was Deputy Jeff Kemp of the Shelby County Sheriff’s approached Medina’s silver 2003 Chevrolet 3500 extended cab pickup truck with Texas plates.
Kemp looked inside and allegedly noticed that there was a single key in the ignition with no ring. Kemp asked Medina where he was from and where he was going.
In broken English, Medina reportedly replied that he had come from Texas and was headed to Knoxville for two or three days. Kemp looked in the back seat of the pick up and only saw a small single duffle bag.
Kemp then asked Medina to produce insurance for the vehicle and Medina stated that the truck wasn’t his. Medina said that the truck “belonged to a friend.”
The report states that Kemp used his “training and years of experience to know that drug transporters often drive cars that they don’t own.”
Kemp took Medina’s Texas driver’s license back to his patrol car to check for warrants. After not finding any warrants, Kemp gave Medina a Spanish copy of a voluntary search form, which asked Medina if he would consent to letting Kemp search the truck for the presence of narcotics.
Medina agreed and signed the form. Since it was a cold and wet night, Kemp asked Medina if he wanted to take a seat in the patrol car.
Medina again said ‘yes,’ according to the report. Kemp escorted Medina back to the patrol car and returned with his K-9 partner Kazan to search the car.
Kazan allegedly indicated that there was something on the passenger’s side of the across-the-bed tool box. When Kemp asked Medina for the keys to the toolbox, Medina allegedly alternated between saying he didn’t have them or know where they were.
Kemp then called for assistance to take the truck back to the station to search the toolbox. The report states that after the truck was towed to the sheriff’s office, Kemp and another deputy were able to “gain access to the toolbox.”
Once they opened the toolbox, they allegedly discovered 210 pounds of marijuana. The report states that the drugs were separated into 10 bricks and wrapped in plastic.
A Shelby County Sheriff’s Office press release states that the separation and wrapping “is consistent with packaging drugs for sale.”
Medina was arrested on one count of Manufacture/Deliver/Sell of a Controlled Substance To Wit Marijuana, which is a Class A Felony in Tennessee.
If found guilty, Medina could face 8-30 years in prison and a fine up to $200,000. Medina was also charged with Following Too Closely, which is a Class C Misdemeanor and is punishable by a $200 fine and 30 days in jail.
Steve Shulan, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer, said that “not many people go to jail for Following Too Closely.” Shulan also stated that Medina was charged with a third offense, Driving on Roadways Laned for Traffic.
“Medina crossed the white line on the right onto the rumble strip twice before Deputy Kemp pulled him over,” said Shulan. According to the Tennessee Criminal Code, a violation of Driving on Roadways Laned for Traffic carries a warning for the first citation.
There currently is no word on whether or not Medina has a criminal history; however, Detective Scott Felts of the Cleveland PD stated he is interested in seeing if Medina was using his house in Cleveland as a drug storage facility.
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