Illinois men arrested Tuesday on interstate with pound of pot

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Curtis J. Simpson, 33, of Markham, Illinois, left, was arrested Tuesday on charges of controlled substance violation and failure to affix drug stamp; Devonte C. Hatter, 26, of Chicago arrested Tuesday on charges of controlled substance violation and used or expired drug stamp.

Two Illinois men were arrested on drug charges early Tuesday while traveling eastbound on the interstate.

Curtis J. Simpson, 33, of 3026 Stafford Dr., Markham, Illinois, was charged with controlled substance violation and failure to affix drug stamp.

Devonte C. Hatter, 26, of 3752 W. 83rd Place, Chicago, was charged with controlled substance violation and used or expired drug stamp.

The incident began about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday on eastbound U.S. Interstate 80 near the 117 mile marker, where an officer of the Waukee Police Department observed a 2020 Ford Fusion with Colorado plates traveling at 75 mph in a 70 mph zone, according to court records.

The officer also allegedly observed the vehicle make “an erratic lane change” and “cross the solid white lines to the off-ramp at the 117 Exit,” according to court records. A traffic stop was initiated.

A record check revealed the driver, Simpson, had a suspended license in Illinois.

A Clive Police Department K-9 Officer arrived on the scene, and the dog “immediately alerted to the odor of narcotics,” according to court records.

A search of the vehicle disclosed 16.875 ounces “marijuana in dispensary packaging,” according to court records. The marijuana was located in two backpacks in the trunk.

Simpson is held in the Dallas County Jail on a $10,000 cash or surety bond. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Jan. 21 in Dallas County District Court.

Hatter is held in the Dallas County Jail on a $10,000 cash or surety bond. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Jan. 20 in Dallas County District Court.

*A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

3 COMMENTS

  1. They bought it legally and were going home to a legal state but Iowa had to give them felonies and future lives that will be harder because of those felonies. Good going, Iowa! We are so proud!

  2. It ain’t shit but weed. These ol thirsty ass police need to be out here stopping real crime. If weed is legal now then what’s the problem? Then the police wonder why they get shot at.

  3. I can’t say the gentlemen here were exercising good judgement. Neither can I say the illegal status of marijuana in Iowa makes good sense either. Then again, perhaps there is some great logic about the latter, particularly when considering the circumstances of this arrest as well as the many which go down on this stretch of road. Where the traffic stop occurred is a choke-point. The general area here is the last location of Interstate 80 East before it enters the metro area and intersects with Interstate 35. Once beyond the furthest point east on I 80, motorists can either become lost in the metro or travel any number of directions once in Polk County. The cops know this. Southern Dallas County is the last place on the interstate before motorists can take any direction. The new Law Enforcement Center for Dallas County is hardly a ten minute drive from this part of the road so it makes great sense. They can pull over all manner of out-of-state brown-skinned folks for traffic infractions be they real, minimal, imagined or fabricated. Easy! They can also add insult to injury over drug stamp violations. It doesn’t matter whether or not the herb was destined to be sold on the Iowa market. All that matters is its being a free opportunity to add more charges and that for no other reason than the arrest was made here. Yup. When you look at the big picture here, the whole deal makes very good sense. It makes a hell of a lot of sense. Yup. Its present location is a near perfect location for the new Dallas County Jail too.

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