By Patti Weaver
(Stillwater, Okla.) — A Muskogee man traveling in a car with his girlfriend, who now lives in Cushing, was sentenced Monday by Payne County Associate District Judge Michael Kulling to six years in prison followed by four years of probation for trafficking $15,000 worth of methamphetamine that was reportedly mailed for delivery in Stillwater.
Dillon Ray Stienbarger, 25, had pleaded guilty without an agreement with the prosecution regarding his penalty, court records show. Stienbarger was given credit for the 10 months he had already been in jail on $100,000 bail, court records show.
His passenger, Mary Irene Sensibaugh, 36, who was living in Wagoner but now listed as residing in Cushing, had pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of possessing the drug with intent to distribute and been released on a personal recognizance bond in November to enroll in and complete the Payne County Drug Court program.
The couple had been arrested by Stillwater Police Detective Josh Carson following a traffic stop on E. 6th Street at about 6 pm on May 11, 2023, in which 5.9 pounds or 2,678 grams of methamphetamine was seized, an affidavit said.
“The street value of such a large amount of methamphetamine is approximately $15,000. This size load of methamphetamine is uncommon in Stillwater,” Detective Carson wrote in an affidavit.
“Dillon stated he was mailed the methamphetamine and told to deliver it in Stillwater. Dillon stated he was moving the methamphetamine for a person he believed lived in Mexico. Dillon said he was going to make $2,200 for the delivery.
“Dillon said he tried to move illegal immigrants for the same individual in Mexico and was arrested last week (in May of 2023) in Arizona trying to cross the border with a stolen car,” the affidavit alleged.
At the time of their arrest, his girlfriend, who was sitting in the back seat by herself, said “she has been dating Dillon for four months. Mary stated she knew Dillon was ‘working’ for a person in Mexico and was recently arrested in Arizona. Mary stated she thought they were delivering cocaine to Stillwater,” the affidavit alleged.
The methamphetamine was discovered after Stillwater Police Detective Newly McSpadden said his K9 partner alerted to the presence of illegal drugs in the vehicle, which had a defective right brake light, the affidavit alleged.
“In the front passenger floorboard, I observed a box that was taped shut. I opened the box and found a plastic container wrapped in plastic wrap,” coated in axel grease, Detective Carson wrote in his affidavit.
“I know this is a common way drug traffickers attempt to conceal illegal drugs and avoid detection from police officers and their K9 partners. The axel grease is used to conceal the smell of illegal drugs. I opened the wrap and observed large crystal shards in the plastic container and immediately recognized the substance as methamphetamine,” Detective Carson wrote in his affidavit.
A smaller amount of methamphetamine was found in a handbag in the back seat; several cell phones and a plastic baggy were also located in the vehicle, the affidavit said.
