A South Bend man faces numerous drug charges after an Indiana State Trooper made a traffic stop for moving violations in Mishawaka.
Around 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17, the trooper noticed a dark blue Chrysler commit several moving violations as it traveled in front of him, westbound on Lincolnway East. When the trooper turned on his emergency lights to make a traffic stop, the Chrysler slowed but continued to drive approximately a quarter-mile before finally turning into a business near Laing Avenue and stopping in the parking lot.
While speaking to the driver, Deandre Franklin, 26 of South Bend, the trooper noticed a handgun on the driver’s side floorboard.
Indiana State Police K-9 Nala was used to conduct a free-air sniff of the Chrysler and she alerted to the odor of narcotics. A search of the Chrysler revealed six plastic baggies of suspected marijuana, a digital scale, a plastic baggie of suspected cocaine, and a baggie of pills of suspected Ecstasy.
Franklin was taken to the St. Joseph County Jail and, after prosecutor review, faces several felony and misdemeanor charges to include Dealing Cocaine between 1 and 5 grams, Dealing Schedule I Controlled Substance between 5-10 grams, Dealing Cocaine, Possession of Cocaine less than 5 grams, Dealing Marijuana, Possession of Cocaine, Possession of a Controlled Substance with Enhancement, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Possession of Marijuana.