Traffic stops uncover cash, stolen credit cards

Since August, deputies of the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office have conducted several routine traffic stops in which the motorists and occupants were in possession of large amounts of cash and possibly stolen credit cards.
- On Oct. 28, a deputy initiated a stop after observing a traffic violation and smelled marijuana while approaching the vehicle.
Raw marijuana was visible on the driver’s lap and a search of the vehicle uncovered $7,000 in cash and several debit and credit cards.
The driver was also on parole in Michigan and the case is under further investigation by the sheriff’s office.
-On Oct. 27, a deputy could smell alcoholic beverages from a car stopped for traffic violations. While being questioned the driver admitted there was marijuana inside the vehicle. A search of the vehicle uncovered several bags of marijuana, a bag with white residue, several debit cards that didn’t belong to the three occupants of the vehicle, and $10,760 in cash.
Dreion Adams, of Detroit; Quran Smith, Detroit, and Ariana Rogers, Oak Park, were all charged with one count of receiving stolen property.
-On Sept. 23, a deputy could smell marijuana from a vehicle stopped for traffic violations and found several bags of marijuana, a scale, plastic bags, and $9,980 in cash.
- On Aug. 13, Malik Henderson, Detroit, was charged with one count of receiving stolen property after a deputy on patrol observed an equipment violation. Henderson also did not have the proper paperwork for the vehicle.
A search found several debit and credit cards that didn’t belong to Henderson, IDs not belonging to him, and $2,000 in counterfeit U.S. currency.
Investigations are pending in the cases, said Brad York, chief deputy.

Drug case sentence
An investigation by the Ottawa County Drug Task Force has resulted in a man being sentenced to prison for 14-18 years for several felony violations.
Jody Gipson, 45, pled guilty in Ottawa County Common Pleas court to one count of aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a second degree felony; two counts of aggravated trafficking methamphetamine, a third degree felony; one count of aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a first degree felony, and violation of a protection order.
He was under investigation by the task force for about a year for trafficking in the county and throughout the state.
Gipson was indicted in June 2019 on trafficking charges, money laundering and possession of criminal tools. Investigators seized about 178 grams of methamphetamine, miscellaneous steroids and about $3,900 in cash.
While he was on bond awaiting sentencing in the first case, task force agents conducted another investigation into Gipson and his continued trafficking. That probe led them to another 75 grams of methamphetamine, $505 in cash and the seizure of a 2004 Mazda.
Authorities said he is from North Carolina and recently lived in the Port Clinton area.