This article was originally published in The Examiner on Nov. 23, 2017.
By Eleanor Skelton
Staff Writer
A man from China, Texas was indicted by a Jefferson County Grand Jury Wednesday, Nov. 15 for meth found during a traffic stop, according to court documents.
Travis Spencer Smith, 26, is accused of hiding two bags of meth inside in a fake Red Bull can, known on the street as a “stash can.”
A stash can is usually an ordinary food or drink container modified so the top or bottom unscrews, revealing a hidden storage space inside. Having a stash can is not illegal, but stash cans are often used to conceal drugs.
Smith was stopped by Beaumont Police on Dec. 22, 2016, for going 8 miles over the speed limit on College Street, according to the probable cause affidavit.
The officer noticed that Smith seemed nervous after pulling over at the Jack in the Box on College Street.
911 dispatch told the officer that Smith had several warrants for his arrest out of Hardin County. The officer then handcuffed him and asked permission to search his vehicle, where he found the Red Bull stash can.
Beaumont Police took Smith to the Jefferson County Jail and charged with possession of methamphetamine, which is a second-degree felony. If convicted, he could face 2 to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Smith has a previous criminal record, including trafficking drugs in Liberty County in 2013 and felony assault and reckless driving in Oregon in 2009, according to a criminal records database.
Eleanor Skelton 