Madison County man arrested in connection to drug trafficking in Wayne County

Spencer Mahon, Richmond Register, Ky.
·2 min read

May 13—WAYNE CO., Kentucky — According to Wayne County Sheriff, Tim Catron, an ongoing undercover investigation by the Wayne County Sheriff Office into the illegal sales of narcotics in Wayne County resulted in the arrest of a Madison County man.

The undercover investigation revealed that the man, identified as Robert E. Newcomb Jr. of Berea, would be traveling to Wayne County on Sunday morning (May 12, 2024) with a significant amount of illegal narcotics while possession a firearm.

According to the Wayne County Sheriff's Office, just before 10 p.m. Deputies Derek Dennis and Tommy Spencer observed the vehicle of interest traveling on East Kentucky Highway 90.

The Sheriff's Office said that deputies then pulled the car over and conducted a traffic stop. The deputies had the occupants exit their vehicle for a pat down search for firearms, according to a release from the Sheriff, Tim Catron.

The pat down search resulted in a handgun being found on the passenger. Deputy Dennis then deployed his K-9 Unit for a free-air sniff around the vehicle.

The K-9 alerted on both sides of the vehicle as being positive for containing illegal narcotics. Newcomb allegedly stated to deputies that he was a convicted felon, and the vehicle did contain marijuana.

Deputies arrested Newcomb for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. A search of his person after the arrest resulted in Deputies locating 3 bags of a crystal substance believed to be methamphetamine.

During a search of the vehicle two bags of suspected marijuana, a glass pipe normally used with illegal narcotics was located in the passenger side door in a zip-up case and a marijuana joint inside a cigarette pack laying in the front seat. Over $600 cash was also seized.

Deputies charged and arrested Newcomb for possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree (greater than or equal to 2 grams of methamphetamine), possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

While processing paperwork at the Wayne County Sheriff Office the crystal substance tested positive as methamphetamine using the Tru-Narc Narcotic Analysis Instrument with total weight of 34.63 grams. The marijuana had a total weight of 19.23 grams.

Newcomb was lodged in the Wayne County Detention Center.

This is not Newcomb's first time being charged with drug related crime.

Back in 2017, Newcomb was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun and carrying a concealed deadly weapon in addition to second and third-degree controlled substance possession (drug unspecified).