Trooper makes 4-pound drug bust in Antelope

A Jack County traffic stop and then pursuit involving four agencies resulted in a drug bust of more than 4 pounds of methamphetamine. 

Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Trevor Topper stopped a 2006 Chevrolet Tahoe just south of Antelope on Highway 281 at about 1 p.m. Tuesday for operating a vehicle with no license plate or only one plate. He initiated a search of the vehicle driven by Jessie Tyrone Stafford, 32, of Olney according to Stafford’s driver’s license. 

DPS Sgt. Dan Buesing said Topper was likely searching the vehicle’s hatch when Stafford jumped back in his car. The trooper deployed his taser, but either did not make a good connection or missed, and Stafford took off.

He evaded north on Highway 281 and continued onto FM 175 heading east for about 7 minutes before he pulled over and was arrested.

According to Jack County dispatch scanner reports, a motorist who saw the suspect throw something from the vehicle pulled over where evidence was tossed to assist with its location.

Jack County Sheriff Tom Spurlock said Stafford threw three one-gallon zipper-sealed bags half-full of meth out of the window.

It turned out to be 4.2 pounds of methamphetamine with a street value of more than $368,000, Buesing said.

Stafford was placed under arrest for multiple charges including possession of a controlled substance penalty group 1 greater than 400 grams, a first-degree felony, and evading arrest.

Buesing said the suspect also had other drugs in his possession in smaller or user amounts including 16 grams of cocaine and some marijuana.

He said the meth was being transported from Fort Worth to Wichita Falls.

Stafford was taken to the Jack County Jail and was arraigned Thursday afternoon. His charges and bond amounts were manufacture/delivery of controlled substance methamphetamine, $150,000; manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance cocaine, $100,000; tampering with evidence, $10,000; evading arrest in a motor vehicle, $10,000; possession of marijuana less than 2 ounces, $5,000; and resisting arrest, $10,000.

He had not bonded out as of posting.