Local man charged with coke, pot possession

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — As often is the case, people are arrested in connection with possessing drugs because they either forget about traffic laws or do not have a vehicle’s lights in working condition at night, and are stopped by police officers for those reasons.

Timothy Shumate was no exception.

He is charged in connection with possession of a controlled substance, a fourth-degree felony; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor.

If prosecuted and convicted of both charges, Shumate may serve up to one day short of 2.5 years in state prison, be fined up to $6,000, or both.

Grants Police Detective Moses Marquez said Shumate did not have that much cocaine on his possession, .3 grams, but had 5.4 grams of marijuana.

Shumate also had in his possession a metal pipe; a gray bottle, the type often used to carry drugs; two baggies, one with a white rock substance, later testing positive for cocaine; and the other baggie with two baggies folded inside, according to Cibola County Magistrate Court records.

It was just before midnight on March 13 when Shumate did not use a turn signal while turning from Breece Street onto Gabaldon, Grants Police Officer Jesse Nieto stated in a police report filed in Magistrate Court.

When Shumate was stopped and got out of the Ford Ranger pickup he was driving, Nieto smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming off of Shumate’s clothing, court records state.

Marquez said when individuals are arrested, they are taken to the police department where officers weigh, photograph and place into evidence any items, such as drugs, and complete paperwork prior to taking the suspects to Cibola County Detention Center for booking.
Fingerprinting is usually done at the detention center, Marquez said.

Shumate faces a preliminary hearing on May 13 in Magistrate Court, however, drug cases are often bound over to district court after being placed before the 13th Judicial District grand jury for indictment.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call (505) 287-2197 or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com.