Three people were arrested in Pulaski County on September 27 following a traffic stop on Highway 461 where deputies recovered multiple bags of controlled substances, according to the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. The driver, 37-year-old James Carrender, alongside passengers 38-year-old Joseph Meeks and 34-year-old Mindy Meeks, now face multiple drug trafficking charges after authorities discovered methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana inside the vehicle.
Traffic Stop on Highway 461 Leads to Drug Discovery
The incident began when Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office deputies pulled over a vehicle driven by James Carrender on Highway 461. According to the sheriff’s department, deputies smelled marijuana upon approaching the vehicle. A subsequent search of the automobile revealed several bags of suspected marijuana and methamphetamine, along with drug paraphernalia. Officials stated that Mindy Meeks admitted to having narcotics hidden in her clothing and showed deputies additional bags containing suspected methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Charges Filed Against Carrender and the Meeks Passengers
All three occupants of the vehicle were taken into custody and booked on multiple drug-related offenses. Jail and sheriff records detail distinct charges for the driver and the passengers:
- James Carrender: Charges against him include failure to have a license in possession, no operator’s license, drug paraphernalia buy/possess, possession of a controlled substance in the first degree (fentanyl), trafficking in marijuana (less than 8 ounces), and trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree (two or more grams of methamphetamine).
- Joseph Meeks: Trafficking in marijuana (less than 8 ounces), drug paraphernalia buy/possess, trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree (two or more grams of methamphetamine), and possession of a controlled substance in the first degree (fentanyl).
- Mindy Meeks: Her docket lists possession of a controlled substance in the first degree (fentanyl), trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree (two or more grams of methamphetamine), drug paraphernalia buy/possess, and trafficking in marijuana (less than 8 ounces).
Broader Narcotics Investigations in Pulaski County
The arrests coincide with an intensified period of enforcement by the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division. Sheriff Bobby Jones reported that detectives had been actively investigating suspected drug trafficking. Earlier in September, a separate high-speed pursuit on Kentucky Highway 934 and Highway 39 resulted in the arrests of Joshua Samples, Jerica Cline, and Jacob Wallace after deputies deployed spike strips and later recovered five ounces of suspected methamphetamine and a defaced handgun from that investigation.
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