An Elkins man was arrested Thursday evening after 7 pounds of marijuana - with an estimated street value of $40,000 - were found in his van, police said.
Kenneth Wayne Hatfield, 59, of 101 Knapp St., was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, a felony, in Randolph County Magistrate Court. Bond was set at $250,000, cash only.
According to the criminal complaint prepared by Trooper 1st Class G.S. DeWeese of the Elkins detachment of the West Virginia State Police, the van was observed turning right onto Knapp Street without using a right turn signal at about 6:50 p.m. Thursday.
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The Inter-Mountain photo by Anthony Gaynor
The Elkins detachment of the West Virginia State Police displays the 7 pounds of marijuana seized Thursday from a van allegedly driven by Kenneth W. Hatfield of Elkins. The estimated street value of the marijuana is $40,000.
DeWeese wrote that he pulled the van over for a routine traffic stop. While speaking to Hatfield, the officer noticed a shot glass featuring a painted marijuana leaf was on the dashboard of the van. DeWeese asked Hatfield if he had any marijuana in the vehicle, and Hatfield "became extremely nervous and replied, 'Not that I know of,'" according to the complaint.
An "exterior sniff" of the van was performed by K-9 officer Servo, which indicated the presence of an illegal substance in the vehicle, the complaint states. DeWeese wrote that he located approximately 7 pounds of marijuana, packaged in pound bundles, in the rear driver's side passenger floor area of the van.
Hatfield was being held in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail as of presstime.
Contact Brad Johnson by email at bjohnson@theintermountain.com.
