Meth Use On The Rise In Rural Oklahoma, Police Say

Law enforcement in rural Oklahoma have reported seeing a resurgence of a drug that devastates communities big and small.  

The Maysville Chief of Police in Garvin County said on Tuesday methamphetamine users and dealers were on the rise. 

Police in Maysville said most of their drug arrests come from traffic stops. They said drug dealers often drive through rural towns to avoid the interstates. A recent traffic stop in downtown Maysville ended in the arrest of accused methamphetamine dealer Dustin Barnes.   

“It had expired tags on it,” said Asst. Chief Doug Jolley, Maysville Police Department. “We got behind him, he immediately ducked off in an alley way.”  

Jolley said when Barnes was pulled over, the suspect admitted to having a suspended license and an active warrant out of Elmore City. 

“Upon searching the car, we found several needles, marijuana,” said Jolley. “We popped the hood. Under the hood of the car, we found a bag full of a white crystal-like substance that tested positive for methamphetamine.”   

Officers also found a stash of stolen property in another bag. 

“He had student IDs, drivers’ licenses, credit cards,” said Jolley. 

State officials said methamphetamines and other crimes often go hand-in-hand in rural Oklahoma. 

“It can destroy a small town because there’s so much associated crime with it,” said Mark Woodward, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. “Often times property crime, identity theft.”   

Woodward said Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics agents depend on departments like Maysville and traffic stops to lead them to the larger drug sources. 

“They’re able to give up their source who is a bigger source,” said Woodward. “We’re able to work with that police department and follow that back and maybe shut down an entire cell group or trafficking organization. That all starts with one simple traffic stop.”  

Barnes was charged on Monday by the Garvin County District Attorney. He will likely be sentenced to prison because of a prior suspended sentence and the new charges.