Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Discovers Drugs During Traffic Stop on I-90

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) – On January 3, 2024, a Montana Highway Patrol Trooper was alerted by a Motor Carrier Service Officer regarding suspicious activity involving a black Nissan Frontier pickup. The officer observed a male exiting the vehicle, running across I-90 into the ditch, and quickly concealing an object within his coat. The officer immediately reported the incident to the trooper.

The Motor Carrier Service Officer approached the male, who introduced himself as “Travis” and claimed to work for the “State.” When asked about the concealed object, the male stated that he had a colostomy bag under his coat, which he felt embarrassed about and refused to reveal to the officer. Without further delay, the male hastily returned to his vehicle and fled east on I-90. The officer managed to capture pictures of the vehicle and obtained its license information.

Troopers Successfully Locate the Suspect Vehicle

Following the initial encounter, another vigilant trooper located the suspect vehicle on Highway 200 and initiated a traffic stop. The trooper approached the driver, identified as 30-year-old Alexandra Harlan, and requested her license, registration, and proof of insurance. Harlan admitted to not having a license and acknowledged that it was suspended. Furthermore, she indicated that she believed she had an active warrant. The trooper discovered that Harlan was previously involved in an investigation in November, which involved the possession of 2,000 fentanyl pills.

Accompanying Harlan in the vehicle were two passengers. One of them, identified as 33-year-old Jonathon Dickinson, exhibited suspicious behavior by attempting to hide something whenever the trooper’s attention shifted. Upon further investigation, the trooper discovered that Dickinson had multiple warrants for theft, failure to comply, and reckless endangerment of emergency personnel. Consequently, Dickinson was promptly arrested and placed in a patrol car due to his outstanding warrant.

Troopers Uncover Drugs During Vehicle Search

To ensure public safety, the trooper deployed a trained K9 partner, who promptly alerted to the presence of narcotics within the suspect vehicle. Subsequently, the trooper obtained a search warrant for the car. A thorough search led to the discovery of a baggie containing blue fentanyl pills concealed within a small purse in the back of the vehicle. Additionally, multiple baggies of blue pills were found hidden under both front seats. Furthermore, a container of methamphetamine was also seized. The trooper estimated the quantity of fentanyl pills in the vehicle to be more than 500 but less than 1,000.

Dickinson and Harlan were both taken into custody and transported to the Missoula County Detention Center. They are currently facing felony charges for criminal possession of dangerous drugs with intent to distribute. On January 5, 2023, both individuals appeared in Missoula Justice Court, where Dickinson’s bond was set at $50,000, and Harlan’s bond was set at $15,000.

The information in this article was obtained from publicly viewable sources.

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