Traffic Stop in Helen Nets Drugs, Weapons

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CASTROHELEN, Ga. — What appeared to be a routine traffic stop in the pre-dawn hours in Helen Monday resulted in the confiscation of drugs, weapons and the arrest of three individuals on related charges.

Helen Police Department Officer R. Blevins reported that when he witnessed a Ford F-150 pickup truck traveling south on Main Street weaving across the double yellow center line with a license plate obscured, he executed a traffic stop in the parking lot of America’s Best Value Inn.

According to the report, the driver, who first identified himself as Jose Antonio Diaz, couldn’t stand in one spot for more than a few seconds and seemed overly concerned about Officer Blevins looking inside the vehicle.

Blevins said he observed two individuals, one male and one female in the back seat of the truck and detected the odor of burnt marijuana. When Officer D. Westmoreland arrived to provide backup, the two passengers exited the vehicle. The male identified himself as Antonio Menguaro. The female said her name was Ally Klueber. The male passenger later admitted he had given a fictitious name and identified himself as Martin Herman Castro.

A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a crack pipe with a liquid residue, pocket knife, two small bags of a green leafy substance, two bags of a crystal-like substance suspected to be methamphetamine, $85 in cash, loose hypodermic needles, a small compressed canister of butane, and a butane torch lighter, a loose prescription pill identified as “Citalopram,” a spoon with a white powdery substance, a set of voice recorders, digital scales and a set of brass knuckles.

All three were placed under arrest and transported to the White County Detention Center. The truck was impounded and taken to the Helen Police Department for an additional search pending a search warrant.

Diaz is charged with failure to maintain lane, possession of drug related objects, and possession of drugs. Klueber faces charges for possession of drug related objects, prescription not in original container and possession of drugs with the intent to distribute.

Castro faces the most serious charges, including giving a false name to a law enforcement officer, possession of a knife, possession of a concealed weapon, brass knuckles, possession of drug related objects, possession with the intent to distribute, prescription not in the original container

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