On Wednesday, police in Granville arrested two men on drug charges after responding to reports of a suspicious vehicle parked at the Domain apartment complex at University Town Centre.
Domain staff called police after seeing two males in a Chevrolet truck near the complex’s equipment shed. The staff was concerned because they recently had people break into the shed and steal items.
Sgt. Aaron Huyett, with Granville PD, arrived and spoke with a staff member who said at one point the vehicle had left its original position by the equipment storage building and waited in another parking lot, but shortly after returned to the area near the shed, the criminal complaints read.
Huyett made contact with the two individuals and identified them as Shawn Michael Johnson, 30, and Steven Shaun Sharps, 43, both of Kingwood.
According to the complaints, the two men told the officer the owner of the truck, Johnson, was paid $7 to $10 by Sharps to drive him to Morgantown from Preston County.
Huyett reported Sharps initially said he needed the ride to meet a friend to play video games but could not produce the friend’s name or his apartment number. He was also unable to show the officer any messages referencing the alleged meet up.
After Huyett asked Sharps if he was there to purchase narcotics, he allegedly stated he was there to purchase marijuana.
Following a local warrant check, Sharps was also found to have an active warrant through the Morgantown Police Department for shoplifting.
Huyett retrieved a jacket and phone from the passenger’s seat of the vehicle, allegedly belonging to Sharps. While searching the jacket prior to handing it over to Sharps, the sergeant found 91.5 grams of methamphetamine and 1.5 grams of fentanyl.
Both Sharps and Johnson were placed under arrest.
Sharps was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. Johnson was charged with two counts conspiracy to commit possession with intent.
Both men were sent to North Central Regional Jail on $15,000 bond each.
This was not the first drug arrest of the week for Huyett. During an unrelated incident on Tuesday, the sergeant made contact with Anthony Lewis Lawrence, 24, of Granville, and Shayla Kai Youngblood, 21, of Marietta, Ohio, while investigating a disturbance on Main Street in Granville.
After asking Lawrence to step out of a vehicle, the officer saw him try to throw out a folded piece of paper from his pocket, which was found to contain fentanyl.
According to criminal complaints, a probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted and “officers discovered copious amounts of used drug paraphernalia” amongst Lawrence and Youngblood’s possessions as well as 7.5 grams of marijuana, which Lawrence claimed belonged to him.
When Youngblood was ordered to leave the vehicle prior to the search, Huyett reported she “attempted to hide a folding knife and had to be removed from the vehicle.”
Youngblood allegedly first identified herself as Haven Youngblood, but was outed by a third passenger who stated, “Her name is Shayla Youngblood.” She then admitted that she had lied and used her sister’s name, the complaint said.
After reviewing previous police records, Huyett found Youngblood has identified herself as her sister in every police encounter with her. She was also found to be wanted in Ohio.
Youngblood is charged with obstruction and possession and is in custody at North Central Regional Jail.
In addition to a possession charge, Lawrence was found to have a capias warrant in Monongalia County for failure to appear at a hearing following a first-degree robbery charge after an incident near Pennsylvania Avenue in Morgantown.
Lawrence posted bond and was released following the June charge. He is now being held at North Central Regional Jail on $25,000 bond.
