Trooper Escamilla DRUG BUST: *420* Promethazine Bottles in Cadillac Escalade heading to Memphis

Trooper's Report:

On 8-26-23 I, Trooper A. Escamilla, was patrolling in the area of Interstate 40 near the 170 mile marker. I observed a Black
Cadillac SUV bearing Texas LPN NBJ9855 traveling in the number 1 lane.

The vehicle was traveling too close to another
vehicle in front of his. I initiated a traffic stop near the 171 mile marker.
I made contact with the driver who was identified as Darian Gibson. I advised Darian of who I was, the agency I represented
and the reason for the stop. Darian apologized for following too close. While making my initial approach, I could smell the odor
of marijuana coming from the vehicle. I asked Darian for his drivers license and registration in which he provided. I then asked
Darian to exit the vehicle while I conducted my investigation outside.

I asked Darian what his travel story was in which he stated the following. Darian was traveling from Houston Texas and was
traveling to Memphis Tennessee. Darian did not state why he was traveling there. I asked Darian if he had any marijuana in the
vehicle in which he stated that he did not because he doesn’t smoke. I advised Darian that the vehicle smelled like Marijuana
which gave me probable cause to search the vehicle. I placed Darian in the back of my patrol vehicle and conducted a vehicle
search.

While searching the vehicle, in the rear I located several boxed which the label read “Promethazine Syr Plain 6.25 MG/ 5ML”.
The box label stated that the Promethazine came from Morton Grove PH. INC. I placed handcuffs on Darian and placed him
under arrest. I then contacted J-Hook Wrecker to impound the vehicle to Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office. I searched the rest of
the vehicle and did not locate anything else that was illegal.

I read Darian his miranda rights in which he refused to speak to me in reference to this incident. I contacted Detective James
Cavin with the Central Arkansas Drug Task Force who responded to Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office to take possession of the
Promethazine. While at Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office, Troopers located 35 boxes in the rear of the vehicle containing 12
bottles of promethazine each box. A total of 420 Promethazine Bottles are suspected to be in all boxes. The cellular device
belonging to Darian was seized along with the promethazine by Detective Cavin. Due to the promethazine not containing
Codeine, Darian was charged with Possession of Prohibited Drugs and Use of another person’s property to facilitate a crime.