Photo: Joseph M. Verdusco
A Marion County man, 28-year-old Joseph M. Verdusco of Flippin, is being held on a bond of $50,000 following a traffic stop late last month in Bull Shoals.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed Tuesday, Verdusco was a backseat passenger in a vehicle driven by Vince Delong. Delong had an outstanding warrant out of the Lakeview Police Department, when his vehicle was stopped on Dec. 27.
After Delong was taken into custody, Verdusco reportedly provided law enforcement with a false name. A search of the vehicle was conducted, with a backpack located in the area where Delong had been sitting.
The backpack allegedly held a 9mm handgun, syringes, a digital scale, 7 grams of a white crystalline substance suspected to be methamphetamine and several empty bags with the apparent purpose to distribute.
Verdusco has been charged with felony counts of possession of meth, possession of meth with the purpose to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms and being a felon in possession of a firearm, as well as a misdemeanor of obstructing governmental operations.
The simultaneous possession charge is a Class Y felony, the most serious crime classification in Arkansas not punishable by death.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI