A Linton woman and a Sullivan man were arrested late last Thursday on drug charges as a result of a traffic stop in Switz City.

Megan Nicole Muse, 37, Linton, and Paul Matthew Turpin, 44, Sullivan, were both arrested by Sgt. Bobby Pierce of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department last week. They were both booked in around 1 a.m. last Friday, February 28, following a traffic stop conducted late Thursday night, February 27.

Sgt. Pierce initiated the stop on a silver 1999 Ford Contour at Charlotte Avenue and 4th Street in Switz City because the vehicle failed to properly signal a turn.

Megan Muse was the driver. Paul Turpin was a passenger. A records check revealed Muse’s driver’s license was suspended and she had a previous conviction for driving while suspended in 2018. Turpin was wanted on a warrant issued out of Sullivan County in a case involving felony burglary, auto theft and misdemeanor criminal trespassing and theft.

GCSD Deputy Alan Jackson also arrived to assist along with Officer Andrew Duguay of the Jasonville Police Department and his K9 partner Blitz.

Both Muse and Turpin were detained for arrest and searched. Turpin allegedly had two pills in his pocket that were identified as clonazepam, a Schedule IV controlled substance. Turpin allegedly admitted the pills were not prescribed to him. When K9 Blitz was deployed to sniff around the vehicle, Blitz alerted and numerous items were subsequently found. Muse allegedly admitted some of the items found were hers or belonged to someone else but were in her possession.

In a probable cause affidavit, Sgt. Pierce detailed the items found which included syringes, baggies containing a white crystal substance, green leafy plant material, three digital scales and a smoking device. The plant material was identified as marijuana and the crystal substances field-tested positive as methamphetamine.

Both were being held without bond pending their appearances in court.

Muse is facing preliminary charges of:

Possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony,
Unlawful possession of a syringe, a Level 6 felony,
Driving while suspended – a knowing violation with a prior conviction within 10 years, a Class A misdemeanor,
Possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor, and
Possession of paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor.

Turpin is facing a charge of possession of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor.