Chief Deputy Mark Warden reports that on 17 Jul 2023 at approximately 1300 hours Deputy Sheriff J Peters and K9 Timmy were on patrol southbound on I77, when a passenger car, bearing Florida registration, was observed travelling in the fast lane, however no traffic was around in the right hand lane.  A traffic stop was conducted at the 2 mile marker, Pioneer Township.   

The driver was identified as Joseph A. Russ.  As Deputy Peters was speaking with Russ an odor or marijuana was coming from inside the vehicle. Russ was asked if there was anything illegal in the car which he stated he had some marijuana in the car.  Due to the odor and the admission of the marijuana being in the vehicle, a probable cause search was conducted.  

The search yielded a jar with several baggies of a white powder. As a result, approximately 70 grams of suspected cocaine and 5 grams of suspected methamphetamine were located in the vehicle.  

Joseph Andrew Russ, age 36, 3023 12^th Street, Canton, OH was placed under arrest and transported to the Washington County Jail.  Russ was charged with F-1 trafficking in cocaine and F-3 trafficking in methamphetamine.

Russ appeared in Marietta Municipal Court and is being held on $50,000 bond.