A Des Moines man was arrested for alleged possession of methamphetamine and marijuana at a West Des Moines motel, where he came to “party.”
Nicholas James McGinnis, 35, of 2703 S.E. 18th Court, Des Moines, was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver-methamphetamine, failure to affix a drug stamp and possession of a controlled substance-marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and interference with official acts.
The incident began Aug. 13 about 1 a.m. at a motel in the 1200 block of Jordan Creek Parkway in West Des Moines, where officers of the West Des Moines Police Department “came into contact with” McGinnis, according to court records.
While talking to McGinnis, the officers allegedly saw “a drug pipe, in plain view, inside the vehicle he was operating.” They also observed that McGinnis “was sweating, failed to comply with orders from uniformed police officers and admitted to possessing
methamphetamine,” according to court records.
A search of the vehicle disclosed “a green leafy substance, consistent with marijuana,” and five “clear plastic bags, containing a white crystalline substance consistent with methamphetamine.” The methamphetamine “was located inside the defendant’s underwear, right pants pocket and inside his vehicle” and exceeded five grams in total.
McGinnis allegedly “admitted to purchasing the methamphetamine, possessing the methamphetamine and driving over to West Des Moines to ‘party.'”
McGinnis is held in the Dallas County Jail on a $25,000 cash or surety bond. He is scheduled for arraignment Sept. 4 in Dallas County District Court.
McGinnis was convicted of first-offense possession of a controlled substance in 2005 in Polk County District Court. He was convicted of second-offense possession of a controlled substance in 2009 in Polk County District Court. He was convicted of third or subsequent offense possession of a controlled substance in 2011, 2012, 2013, March 2017 and May 2017 in Polk County District Court.
McGinnis was convicted of interference with official acts in 2006 in Jasper County District Court and in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2017 in Polk County District Court.
*A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
