Mom, teenage son busted for marijuana possession

VAN BUREN, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff, Missouri, mother and her teenage son remain in the Carter County Jail after being charged with possessing more than 2 pounds of marijuana with intentions of distributing it.

Melissa Flores Hager, 38, and Isaiah L. Lopez, 18, both of the 5500 block of Highway 67, were charged with felony of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute by Carter County Prosecuting Attorney Ernie Richardson.

Associate Circuit Judge Michael Ligons issued warrants for Hager and Lopez, setting their bonds at $20,000 cash or corporate surety.

The charges stem from a traffic stop last week.

Sheriff Rick Stephens said he had received information alleging possible drug activity and transportation of narcotics. The information, he said, included several vehicle descriptions.

Stephens said he briefed his deputies and the highway patrol, including its canine division, about the information, so they could be on the lookout for the vehicles.

About 9:10 p.m. Monday, while working a special traffic-enforcement detail on U.S. 60 outside of Van Buren, deputy Nick Bratton saw a green-colored van traveling east near County Road 125E, Stephens wrote in his probable-cause statement. The van matched one of the provided vehicle descriptions.

Bratton and deputy Kris Wilkins, who were riding together, stopped the vehicle for what Stephens described as "erratic driving."

Both deputies detected a strong odor of marijuana.

"While performing a search of the vehicle (after) obtaining consent from Ms. Hager, deputies located a compartment in the rear floorboard, which contained a black plastic bag," Stephens said. "Inside the black plastic bag were seven individual clear plastic bags containing a green-leafy substance.

"The total weight of the green-leafy substance was 33.2 ounces, or 2.075 pounds."

Hager and her son are to appear at 9 a.m. Tuesday before Ligons for arraignment on their charges.

Pertinent address:

Van Buren, Mo.