Suspects arrested on meth charges after traffic stop

These items were seized from the vehicle being driven by Patrick Sanderson after a traffic stop along Highway 51 in Dyer County on Dec. 24. Included among the items are two sets of digital scales, alleged marijuana, and alleged methamphetamine. He and his passenger Heather Pilgrim were arrested that night and are awaiting their appearance in Dyer County General Sessions Court.

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Patrick Sanderson, 32, 1305 Brayton Ave., Dyersburg, Tenn. and Heather Pilgrim, 25, 305 Easley Road, Newbern, Tenn. were arrested around 2 a.m. on Dec. 25 on Highway 51 in Dyer County.

Sanderson was charged with possession of Schedule II (meth), promotion of methamphetamine manufacture, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of Schedule VI (marijuana). Pilgrim was charged with felony possession drug paraphernalia.

The couple was traveling southbound along Highway 51 in a GMC pickup truck, shortly after midnight on Dec. 24, when Dyer County Sheriff's Sgt. Danny Petrie spotted a driving violation. Petrie then performed a traffic stop on the vehicle, which was driven by Sanderson. He was reportedly acting extremely nervous as he spoke to Petrie and was asked to exit the vehicle. Petrie searched Sanderson and asked him to sit in his vehicle while he ran a check of his driver's license. Sanderson reportedly became even more nervous after giving Petrie consent to search his vehicle and began biting his nails.

Pilgrim

Sanderson

Petrie began to search the vehicle and reportedly found a marijuana roach in the passenger floorboard, two pack of rolling papers in Pilgrim's purse, and a tin container underneath the seat with several lithium batteries inside. A further search by Petrie and Cpl. Chris Chism revealed two packs of pseudoephedrine in the driver's door, digital scales, and a large bottle of liquid drain cleaner under the front hood of the truck. There was also a bag that appeared to have just been placed in the bed of the truck from the sliding back window since there was a light rain and the bag was dry. Inside that bag was another digital scale, a bag of alleged marijuana (10.01 grams), and three small plastic bags (one containing .51 grams of alleged methamphetamine and the other two with alleged meth residue).

The two were then arrested and transported to the Dyer County Jail. The truck was seized and towed to the jail. Both suspects were later released from jail on bond and are awaiting their appearance before Dyer County General Sessions Judge Jason Hudson on Monday, Jan. 7.