(Stillwater, Okla.) — Two men and a woman traveling with an infant in a pickup that allegedly had a large amount of methamphetamine and six guns, one of which had been reported as stolen in Arkansas, have been ordered to appear in Payne County District Court on Jan. 7 as a result of their arrests in Yale, court records show.
The driver, Angel Aurelio Karass Garcia, 24, who said that baby was his, displayed a driver’s license from Mexico and a B1 visa, according to an affidavit by Yale Police Officer Alex Larsen, who conducted a traffic stop on the pickup at about 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 15 at Chicago and C Street.
Garcia was arraigned from the Payne County Jail with Spanish interpreter Virginia Banks, who was appointed as his attorney, and ordered held without bail on charges of child neglect, methamphetamine trafficking, possessing five firearms in the commission of a drug offense, and concealing another gun that had been reported as stolen, court records show.
The front-seat passenger, Alex Ivan Delgado-Marin, 23, of Los Angeles, was released from the Payne County Jail on $50,000 bail on Dec. 28 on charges of methamphetamine trafficking, concealing a stolen gun, and transporting three loaded firearms in Yale, court records show.
The back-seat passenger, Vanessa Marie Fox, 35, of Tulsa, was being held in the Payne County Jail on $25,000 bail on a charge of possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, court records show.
The Yale police officer was sitting in the parking lot of Old Timer Tire Shop with a handheld radar gun when he noticed “a white pickup heading eastbound, traveling at a faster pace than other vehicles,” at 47 mph in a 35 mph zone and so conducted a traffic stop, Larsen alleged in his affidavit.
“As I put my patrol vehicle in park and attempt to notify dispatch of my stop, the driver of the vehicle gets out of his vehicle and starts walking my way at a fast pace. I quickly opened my door – climbing out of my vehicle and beginning to draw my firearm. I start loudly telling the individual to get back in his vehicle,” which he did, the Yale officer wrote in his affidavit.
“Upon arriving at the driver’s side window, I could smell a strong odor of marijuana…I asked about the marijuana, and the front-seat passenger handed Mr. Karass rolled up marijuana, who then handed it to me. I asked if there was any more in the vehicle. Mr. Karass then said yes and started reaching in the back passenger’s floorboard underneath where an infant was in her car seat,” the Yale officer alleged in his affidavit.
Since the driver could not reach the containers, the female passenger in the back seat with the infant handed them to the driver, the affidavit alleged.
“The marijuana was on top of items in the floorboard, which placed the marijuana by the infant’s car seat,” the affidavit alleged.
After Yale Assistant Police Chief Ken Moore arrived, the adults were searched, the affidavit alleged.
“While looking in the vehicle, I located multiple knives sitting on the front passenger’s floorboard. I then located a locked compartment underneath the front seat,” containing three semi-automatic handguns that were chamber-loaded as well as magazine-loaded, before being cleared by the Yale officer, he alleged in his affidavit.
“The front-seat passenger stated there were two pistols and an A.R. rifle in a suitcase,” all of which were cleared by Yale police, the affidavit alleged.
“None of the occupants in the vehicle had weapons permits or medical marijuana cards,” the affidavit alleged.
The female passenger and infant were put in the back seat of the officer’s vehicle to stay warm, the affidavit said. All three adults were arrested, the affidavit said.
“Mr. Delgado stated that the drugs and guns were all his, but every person in the vehicle had access to the marijuana. Assistant Chief Moore asked dispatch to contact the Department of Human Services to come and pick up the infant, as the father was going to jail and the mother is in California, the affidavit alleged.
“The DHS employee arrived and interviewed the father,” who did not know the infant’s name or date of birth, the affidavit alleged.
“Upon arriving at the Payne County Jail, Mr. Delgado informs myself and Officer Savory that he has more drugs and paraphernalia on the inside of his coat pocket,” the Yale officer alleged in his affidavit.
The marijuana allegedly weighed approximately 19.4 grams, and the methamphetamine allegedly weighed approximately 48 grams, which is more than twice the amount required for a charge of trafficking, court records show.
If convicted of child neglect, methamphetamine trafficking, possessing firearms during the commission of drug trafficking, and possessing a stolen gun, Karass Garcia could be given a life prison term plus 25 years.
If convicted of methamphetamine trafficking, concealing a stolen gun, and transporting three loaded firearms, Delgado could be given a life prison term plus 18 months.
If convicted of possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, Fox could be given a life prison term.
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