Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

One hundred pounds of drugs lands man in jail

A Texas man was arrested Friday, May 11, after allegedly abandoning his truck which contained about 100 pounds of marijuana at a Gurdon truck stop.

According to an affidavit for arrest prepared by Clark County Investigator Bill Ratliff, the trucks owner, Valcriano Zarate, 33, of Mission, Texas, has been charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

The affidavit states that at approximately 5:30 a.m., Zarate arrived at Dillards Shell Superstop at exit 63 of Interstate 30, parked at a gas pump and came in the store to sit at a booth. After sitting for a few hours, the man reportedly left the store.

Mackey Dillard, owner of the truck stop, told police that when Zarate left the store, the clerk attempted to advise him that he had left his keys at the booth. The affidavit states that Zarate claimed the truck was not his and left. Store employees were unable to track where he went from there.

The affidavit indicates that the truck remained parked at the gas pump until the store manager moved it to a parking space in front of the store at 8:30 a.m. Dillard again moved the vehicle at 11:30 a.m. in an effort to free up parking spaces for customers.

Zarate reportedly returned to the truck stop around 3:30 p.m. Store employees notified the Clark County Sheriffs Office, but by the time deputies arrived, he had walked away. Officers attempted to locate the man, but were unsuccessful.

The affidavit states that Bonnie Dillard, wife of store owner Mackey Dillard, had become worried about the mans strange behavior by 6:20 p.m. and went to the truck in an effort to locate the name or phone number of a family member whom she could call. Upon lifting forward the drivers seat of the truck, Dillard reported found what she believed to be a bundle of marijuana.

Deputies were again called to the scene. Because the substance could be seen through the now open drivers door of the pickup and a an odor believed to be marijuana could be smelled , Sgt. Travis Vance took possession of the vehicle and had it removed to the Clark County Sheriffs Department.

Once at the sheriffs department, the affidavit states that two bundles of marijuana, each containing four bricks of the substance and marked on the ends with the number 50, were removed from the truck. Officials believe the number 50 means each bundle weighs approximately 50 pounds.

At 8:37 p.m., a call was received at the sheriffs department that a Hispanic male wished to speak with a deputy at the Best Value Inn, across the interstate from the truck stop where the truck had been abandoned. Vance responded, and upon arrival, the man asked him for a ride to the next town.

When Vance asked the man if he had a vehicle, the affidavit states that the man responded by saying he did not want to talk about it.

Vance then asked Mackey Dillard to come to the motel to identify the man as the person who had abandoned the truck. Dillard confirmed the mans identity. This was later confirmed further through video surveillance from the truck stop.

Possession of a controlled substance, marijuana, is a class A felony punishable by a term of six to 30 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $15,000.