ISP traffic stop in Rigby leads to drug bust; driver faces felony charges
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RIGBY — A traffic stop and subsequent discovery of numerous narcotics inside a passenger van resulted in the arrest of a 37-year-old man, according to Idaho State Police.
Court documents show a trooper pulled over the van as it was heading south on Interstate 15 near mile marker 133 after noticing a large crack in its front windshield and smoke coming from the vehicle.
The trooper made contact with the driver, identified by ISP as Nathaniel Kirk Allen-Prudden, and while the man grabbed his documentation, the trooper asked where he was heading.
Allen-Prudden allegedly told the trooper he was heading to a gem show in Arizona. When the trooper asked whether there was anything inside the vehicle that should not be there, the trooper said he was told “no.”
The trooper asked if a police K-9 would alert to something inside the vehicle, and reported that Allen-Prudden began to appear nervous. A K-9 unit was requested, and Allen-Prudden gave the trooper his information, court documents state.
Once the K-9 arrived, the trooper said he gave Allen-Prudden a warning while the dog conducted an open-air sniff and indicated the presence of narcotics inside.
The trooper said he asked Allen-Prudden to exit his vehicle, and after the man asked why, but he then stepped out. When asked whether he consented to a search of the vehicle, documents say Allen-Prudden told the trooper “no” and asked if he could contact a lawyer prior to the search.
Troopers say they then informed Allen-Prudden that they were going to search the vehicle. During the search, court documents say the officers found a small baggie of marijuana, a small lockbox that contained several items of drug paraphernalia, a white crystal-like substance, and a small amount of psilocybin mushrooms — all under the driver’s seat.
Allen-Prudden was arrested and read his Miranda Rights before being questioned, court documents state.
The trooper said he then asked Allen-Prudden about the white, crystal-like substance found, and Allen-Prudden allegedly said that he belonged to the “rainbow” religion and claimed he did not use drugs.
He later claimed the crystal substance was MDA, methylenedioxyamphetamine, a Schedule I controlled substance, according to the document.
The van was towed and later searched more thoroughly. Inside the vehicle, charging documents say investigators found a suitcase that contained a large amount of psilocybin mushrooms and several containers of what appeared to be MDA and marijuana.
In total, ISP investigators say they found 700 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 4.89 ounces of marijuana, and 2.9 ounces of marijuana hash.
Troopers tested the other items found and discovered 2.25 grams of ketamine, a controlled substance. A purple and white powder and some purple pills were tested and found positive for MDMA, a controlled substance. Several tabs of LSD were found that weighed 2.9 grams.
Allen-Prudden was booked into the Jefferson County Jail and faces felony charges for delivery of a non-narcotic controlled substance, possession of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance. He also faces misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.
Allen-Prudden is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 19 before Magistrate Judge Daniel Clark.
Though Allen-Prudden has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty. If found guilty, he faces up to 15 years in prison.