Man faces drug charges after traffic stop in Benton, IL

BENTON, Ill. (KBSI) – A man faces drug charges after a traffic stop in Benton, Illinois Wednesday morning.

A Franklin County Sheriff’s deputy initiated a traffic stop on East Webster Street in Benton around 12:08 a.m. on Wednesday, December 27.

The passenger was identified as Kenneth Z. Johnson, 33, of West Frankfort faces charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver and unlawful possession of adult use cannabis in a motor vehicle.

Johnson was found to be in possession of a glass pipe commonly used to ingest methamphetamine, digital scales, cannabis, and multiple glass vials each containing an amount of crystalline substance that field tested positive for methamphetamine, according to Franklin County Sheriff Kyle Bacon.

The driver, Christine Webber, 33, of Benton received a traffic citation for operating a vehicle with expired registration.

During the stop, K9 Vader conducted a free air sniff around the outside of the vehicle that yielded a positive response. A deputy searched the vehicle and people in the vehicle.

Johnson was taken to the Franklin County Jail.

Deputies were assisted on the stop by officers from the Benton Police Department.