(Stillwater, Okla.) — An arrest warrant was issued Monday for a Cushing man accused of possessing marijuana with intent to distribute and a loaded gun during the commission of a felony, as well as drug paraphernalia.
Michael James Carroll Rich, 37, could be given a life prison term plus 11 years if convicted of a three-count charge filed earlier this month, court records show.
Payne County Sheriff’s Deputy Dan Nack wrote in an affidavit filed Monday that he was in the Woodland Village Trailer Park area in January to assist Cushing police looking for a handgun used in a previous crime.
With Cushing Police Sgt. Adam Harp present, the deputy — who had been at Rich’s residence two days earlier — knocked on the door and asked if he could speak to Rich again, the affidavit said.
“He stated, ‘Let me put up my dog and gun, and I’ll be out.’ I asked Michael if he moved the gun prior to our first contact. He advised he did not,” the deputy alleged.
“He then asked ‘You guys want to come in and look, to clear my name?’ to which the deputy and the Cushing police officer responded they would.
“Michael then advised that he had ‘some green’ in his house — ‘is that ok?’ — and asked if we could dismiss that. I advised him that I would have to take possession of his marijuana,” the deputy wrote in his affidavit.
“Entering the residence, I secured the handgun which Michael possessed when he answered the door,” while the Cushing officer went to a back bedroom with Rich, the deputy alleged in his affidavit.
The Cushing officer came out and handed the deputy a blue bowl containing a silver container full of a substance smelling of marijuana, along with a smoking pipe, tweezers, a full marijuana grinder and other items, the affidavit said.
“Michael advised that this was the ‘green’ which he told me about,” the deputy alleged in his affidavit.
A few moments later, the Cushing officer brought out of the room a bottle of pills and a Crown Royal bag containing seven individual baggies of what appeared to be marijuana, the affidavit alleged.
“I mentioned to Michael that this appears to be packaged to distribute and not just personal use. Michael replied by stating that he helps a few friends out with it,” the deputy alleged in his affidavit.
“After the statement of giving marijuana to his friends, and the finding of the assortment of drugs, I also took possession of the handgun, which he opened the door with, and an additional shotgun located in Michael’s bedroom. The handgun was loaded but not chambered,” the deputy wrote in his affidavit.
A bindle in the pill bottle contained a fine white powder that would be sent to the state crime bureau for analysis, the affidavit alleged.
A total of 68 pills were in the bottle, nine varieties of which were examined — with two identified as oxycodone and meperidine and one identified as alprazolam, the affidavit alleged.
“The remaining pills were not scheduled,” the affidavit said. “Michael advised that he did not have a prescription for any,” the affidavit alleged.
“All items mentioned were collected and removed from the house,” the affidavit said.
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