Joe Johnson’s Vault of Crime: Dealer has lots of junk in his trunk

The following story was reported/written by Joe Johnson and originally published int the ABH on July 2, 2010

A suspected drug dealer who ran from sheriff's deputy Wednesday night was carrying a bag of cocaine stuffed in his buttocks, Athens-Clarke County police said.

Deputies found another bag of drugs in the man's nether regions when they strip-searched him at the Clarke County Jail.

Travoine Demario Gary, 22, was wanted for a felony probation violation when deputies spotted him in the parking lot of the Triangle Plaza in East Athens about 11:15 p.m., police said.

A police officer who happened to be driving by saw Gary run from the deputies, so he got out of his car and chased after, cornering the man on the back porch of a home in the 200 block of Fairview Street, according to police.

Gary reached into his pockets, and when he wouldn't obey commands to show his hands, the officer drew his gun, police said.

Gary continued to ignore the officer, and he put something down the back of his pants, police said. The officer suspected that Gary planned to fight or run and so he pepper-sprayed him.

When backup officers arrived, police searched Gary and found $425 in his pocket and a bag of crack cocaine in his buttocks, police said.

They took him to jail, where deputies who strip-searched Gary found another bag in the man's buttocks, one that held 48 oxycodone pills, police said.

Gary, of 135 Burkland Drive, was charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a controlled substance and obstruction of a law enforcement officer, police said.