Grants Pass, Ore. – A traffic stop resulted in the arrest of a Grants Pass man for narcotic, child neglect, and money laundering charges.
Oregon State Police say 27-year-old David Valencia was driving a pickup on Cloverlawn Drive in Grants Pass when he turned abruptly in front of an unmarked police car. Valencia pulled over and stopped momentarily, then continued on along Wallace Lane.
Officers say they observed suspicious behavior and initiated a traffic stop. They detained Valencia and brought a narcotic detecting dog to the scene. The vehicle was searched with Valencia’s consent and no narcotics were found.
According to police they then brought the police dog to the side of the road where Valencia’s vehicle was stopped and subsequently found three ounces of heroin.
Police say Valencia had his 6-year-old and 2-year-old daughters in the back seat of the pickup at the time of the traffic stop.
Law enforcement officers estimate the street value of the heroin to be over $10,000.
The investigation was conducted by the Rogue Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) team and the Oregon State Police.
If you have any information on this case or any suspicious drug activity, call the RADE tip line at (541) 955-6970.
(Image courtesy of the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office.)
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