Beaufort man arrested in Nebraska after police find 201 pounds of marijuana in his van
A 41-year-old Beaufort man was recently arrested in Nebraska after police said he tried to dodge a ruse police checkpoint on I-80 with more than 201 pounds of marijuana in the backseat of his mini-van.
Shawn Fox is facing two felony drug charges, according to a York News-Times article published Friday.
Nebraska State Patrol troopers noticed Fox, who was driving a mini-van with a Nevada license plate, pull off the interstate before the checkpoint and followed him.
Fox pulled to the side of the road before the trooper driving behind him could activate his lights, the article says. When troopers approached Fox’s van, he told them he was lost and needed directions.
Fox, “shaking, sweating” and seemingly nervous, also provided information to troopers before he was asked for anything, the article said.
Troopers asked Fox for consent to search his vehicle, which he denied, the story said. A K-9 unit was then sent to the scene. A drug dog alerted that illegal substances were in the mini-van.
During the search, troopers discovered “six large duffel bags containing bags of marijuana that had been heat-sealed,” the article said. The total weight? 201.9 pounds.
He was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver as well as having no drug tax stamp, which carry maximum sentences of 20 years and two years imprisonment, respectively.
Fox waived his preliminary hearing in York County Court and now awaits arraignment proceedings in the district court.
A voicemail and email The Island Packet left for a spokesperson with the Nebraska State Patrol on Friday morning were not returned.
This story was originally published February 8, 2020 at 4:00 AM.
