Stolen Vehicle Investigation Leads to Fentanyl Trafficking Arrest

The Pettis County Sheriff's Department issued a press release regarding an incident that had occurred late on the night of November 26th, 2024. 

In that incident, Deputies reported locating an occupied vehicle that had been stolen. The vehicle, a 2014 red Buick Encore,  had been stolen from the owner's garage in Macon Missouri. The vehicle was stopped in the area of East Saline Street and Albright Court.

Deputies pulled in front of the vehicle, and activated their emergency red and blue lights.  Deputies gave the driver commands, at gunpoint, to show his hands.  As the Deputy was pulling in front of the vehicle, it began to drive slowly forward, before stopping.  The driver was removed from the vehicle and placed into custody.

The driver, Devantre Levon Johnson, 32, of Columbia, was placed into the rear of the patrol vehicle while Deputies conducted an inventory of the vehicle before having it towed.  During the inventory, a glass pipe caked with a crystal substance was located in a bag in the back seat.  Also in the bag was a knotted baggie of a white crystal substance.

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The narcotics were transported to the Pettis County Sheriff's Office.  The bag of a crystal substance weighed 7 grams*, and field tested positively for both Fentanyl and Methamphetamine.

Johnson is a felon, and the complaint notes he has been convicted of  Tampering With a Motor Vehicle in the 1st Degree, Distribution of a Controlled Substance, Receiving Stolen Property, and Trafficking in the 2nd Degree in 2016, Unlawful Transport of Firearms in 2019,  and Distribution of a Controlled Substance in 2023.  Johnson had eight prior convictions for Driving While Revoked/Suspended. Johnson also committed a class E felony by driving the stolen vehicle, as his license had been revoked years prior.

Johnson was transported to the Pettis County Jail to be booked in on charges of felony Trafficking Drugs in the 2nd Degree, felony Possession of a  Controlled Substance, felony Tampering With a Motor Vehicle in the 1st Degree, and felony Driving While Suspended.

Johnson was booked in and placed on a 24 hour hold. His arrangement was scheduled, and bond was set at $150,000 cash or surety.

*The statutory minimum for a Trafficking charge for both Fentanyl and Methamphetamine is 20 Milligrams.  Johnson had seven grams in his possession, or 7000 Milligrams.