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by Zoe Holman
NEWTON — A late-night traffic stop in Newton led to the arrest of a man accused of having suspected methamphetamine and a concealed handgun, according to the Newton County Sheriff’s Office.
A Newton County Sheriff's Sergeant conducted a traffic stop on Martin Luther King Street for a traffic violation. During the encounter, the odor of marijuana was detected coming from the vehicle, according to police reports.
Authorities said a search of the vehicle was conducted based on probable cause. During the search, Ainsworth located about 24 grams of suspected methamphetamine and a handgun concealed inside an interior panel of the vehicle.
The driver was identified as Mark Daniel Swartout. He was arrested and transported to the Newton County Jail.
Swartout was charged with manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance, penalty group 1, more than 4 grams but less than 200 grams, a first-degree felony, and unlawful carrying of a weapon, a misdemeanor.
Sheriff Colton Havard thanked the Newton Police Department and Texas game wardens for their assistance during the traffic stop and said the Newton County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to aggressively combating illegal narcotics in Newton County.
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