Four arrested on narcotics charges
By:
Staff report
Four people were taken into custody Jan. 21 following a drug bust in the 100 block of South Teton Drive.
Bruce James Kooiker, 21, Preston William Trower, 21, Dennis Jean Peterson, 24, and Lana Michelle Braswell, 21, were all arrested for possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana and paraphernalia.
Kooiker and Trower also face charges of manufacture/distribution of controlled substance, and Kooiker is charged with maintaining a place for drugs.
Brandon police discovered the criminal activity through personal observation, said Chief Joe Weir. Local drug arrests rose significantly in December, Weir said, due to the “skills that the officers have developed and perfected their trade.”
“I’m not sure there’s a rapid rise in possession and distribution; it’s more of an indication of our officers becoming more astute,” he said.
Weir didn’t share the amount of narcotics that was discovered and seized or whether all four individuals are Brandon residents.
“The investigation is continuing, ongoing, and I don’t want to jeopardize it,” he said.
Possession of a controlled substance is a class 4 felony, punishable by a fine of up to $20,000, up to 10 years in prison, or both.
Keeping a place for the use or sale of a controlled substance is a class 5 felony, punishable by a fine of up to $10,000, up to five years in prison, or both.
