San Benito County sheriff’s deputies confiscated more than
$6,000 worth of crystal methamphetamine from a Hollister resident
who had drugs, a scale and a pipe surreptitiously stashed in
several different places on his body, according to police.
Hollister – San Benito County sheriff’s deputies confiscated more than $6,000 worth of crystal methamphetamine from a Hollister resident who had drugs, a scale and a pipe surreptitiously stashed in several different places on his body, according to police.
Emilio Servin, 47, and Fernando Espinosa, 22, were arrested for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drugs for sale on Wednesday after sheriff’s Deputy Jason Lei pulled them over on San Justo Road near Lucy Brown Lane. After discovering that Servin, who was driving, was on felony probation, Lei searched the car and an found an illegal knife wedged between the driver’s seat and center console, according to police. Along with the knife, Lei found more than $500 in cash and found Espinosa to be under the influence of methamphetamine, according to police.
The two were arrested and taken to the San Benito County Jail, but it wasn’t until Lei began searching Espinosa during the booking process that he discovered the man’s hidden cache of meth, according to police.
Espinosa was hiding a meth pipe and a scale in his left shoe, and nearly 5 grams of meth in his right, according to police. When he was instructed to take his clothes off for a more thorough search, an additional baggie of nearly 2 grams of meth fell off Espinosa onto the floor, along with a nylon pouch that contained two large bags of crystal meth, according to police. Each bag contained about 28 grams of meth each. In all, more than 63 grams of meth, with a street value of about $6,300, was confiscated, according to police.
Espinosa was arrested for possession of meth, transportation and intent to sell, all felonies, along with being under the influence of a controlled substance and eight other misdemeanor charges, according to jail personnel. Espinosa, who has prior bookings at the county jail for drug possession and being under the influence of drugs, is still in custody in lieu of $77,000 bail.
Servin was arrested with four felony charges, including possession of drugs for sale and possession of an illegal weapon, and is not eligible for bail because of the probation violation, according to jail personnel. Servin has also been in the county on and off since 2001 for marijuana possession and driving under the influence charges, among others.
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 366 or [email protected]
