Man Caught On I-24 With 3 Pounds Of Meth In Fender
posted November 9, 2010

A man is facing federal charges after he was caught on I-24 in Grundy County with three pounds of meth in the fender well of the vehicle he was driving.

Leonel Lopez-Urquiza appeared before Federal Magistrate Court Judge Bill Carter in Chattanooga.

He is charged with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of meth.

An arrest warrant says last Thursday 12th Judicial Drug Task Force Officer Shane Daughterty was sitting in the median at the 130-mile marker of I-24 when he noticed a vehicle traveling 70 mph in a 55 mph zone.

He stopped the silver Nissan Armada with a Georgia temporary tag. He said the driver identified himself by a false name - Juan Carlo Santiago-Rivera. He said the driver was unable to say who the vehicle belonged to, only that he had known the owner for about a week.

He said he was on his way to Chicago from Atlanta. However, an insurance card showed the owner was from Athens, Ga.

During a search of the vehicle, officers noticed scarred bolts and missing screws around the front fenders and located three plastic containers wrapped in plastic and smeared with grease in the driver's side fender well. The substances in the containers tested positive for meth.

After being placed under arrest, Lopez-Urquiza said he was being paid $1,500 to take the truck to Chicago.

He said he is a citizen of Mexico and in the U.S. illegally. He said he has a prior felony drug conviction in Georgia.

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_188219.asp