KINGWOOD —Two people were charged after State Police investigating a death at a home found evidence of drug sales.
James Allen Scudder, 54, of Terra Alta, was lodged in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail Tuesday in lieu of $100,000 bond. He is charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.
Lisa Kay Byrd, 55, of the same address, is charged with two counts of obstructing an officer, disorderly conduct and not updating the address on her driver’s license.
In criminal complaints, Trooper A.L. Barnette said he went to the home to investigate a death at the residence. State Police are notified of all deaths, the trooper told the newspaper, and this one is not being investigated as a homicide.
The officer asked Scudder, who owns the residence, to leave. Barnette saw Scudder place something under a kitchen counter and asked what it was. Scudder told him it was his pistol, the complaint says.
There was “a large amount of marijuana” in plain view, and Scudder agreed to a search of the residence, according to the complaint.
Trooper Barnette found about 299 grams of marijuana, 70 grams of liquid Tetrahydrocannabinol, 169 small baggies, a Taurus 9mm semiautomatic pistol, 70 9mm loaded cartridges, two “owe” ledgers and about $247 cash. The drugs had an estimated value of $7,380.
Scudder admitted that he traded marijuana for other items, the complaint says.
Byrd was charged because she yelled at the officer and slammed the door in his face, according to the complaint.
TWEET@DominionPost.WV
