Paducah Man Arrested For Selling Simulated Substance

On Tuesday 07/22/08 around 16:00 the McCracken County Sheriff Department Drug Division was contacted and informed that a black male was standing in the area of Guthrie Avenue attempting to sell what he was posing to be Cocaine to passerby's. Detectives immediately began an investigation and identified the individual to be Jontevia McReynolds. McReynolds was familiar to detectives due to previous encounters. An undercover operation resulted in detectives arranging to meet McReynolds at the corner of South 19th Street and Jackson Street. This meeting, which occurred at 14:28 on 07/22/08, resulted in McReynolds selling what he stated was good crack cocaine to detectives in return for $120.00. After the purchase was made detectives approached to effect an arrest. Upon detectives approach McReynolds threw down the $120.00 in US Currency that had been used as buy money and started to flee on foot. McReynolds was quickly subdued by detectives and subsequently arrested. A closer investigation revealed that the plastic bag only contained flour that had been mixed with water and heated to harden the substance to appear to be Crack Cocaine.

"This type of activity is extremely dangerous. When you sell a substance to someone and pose it to be something that it's really not you develop very unhappy customers. It's not uncommon for law enforcement to purchase a simulated substance from street level drug dealers. We have bought everything from soap to baking soda during previous drug investigations".

McReynolds was arrested and transported to the McCracken County Regional Jail. McReynolds stated he realized that he had sold the simulated substance to law enforcement when he saw us approaching and thought it would distance himself from trouble by attempting to dispose of the money. McReynolds actions in attempting to distance himself from trouble only resulted in more problems, tampering with physical evidence, which is a Class D Felony and punishable up to 5 years in prison.

This was the second time that McReynolds had been charged with Trafficking In A Simulated Controlled Substance.

ARRESTED: McReynolds, Jontevian 19 years of age

Of South 19th Street

CHARGES: Trafficking In A Simulated Controlled Substance 2nd Offense

Tampering With Physical Evidence

End Of Release

Det. Sgt. Matt Carter

McCracken County Sheriff Department Drug Division