Magoffin man picked up on warrant in Morgan County

By Miranda M. Cantrell
For the Licking Valley Courier

WEST LIBERTY – A Salyersville man was arrested at a Morgan County residence over the weekend on a variety of charges during the execution of a Magoffin County indictment warrant.

According to the arrest citation, the incident occurred at approximately 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31, when deputies from the Morgan County and Magoffin County sheriff’s offices arrived at 12918 Hwy. 191 in Morgan County.

Deputy Brian Hillman of the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office noted in the arrest citation that Mitchell William Shepherd, 36, saw several police cruisers enter the driveway and subsequently fled on foot out the residence’s back door.

Shepherd eventually complied with an order to stop running and was searched by officers, who discovered 13.8 grams of methamphetamine, 7 gabapentin pills (800 milligrams), two syringes containing a liquid substance, and a glass vial also containing a liquid substance.

The property owner gave officers permission to search the residence, where they found a backpack marked with Shepherd’s name containing two digital scales and other drug paraphernalia inside a small plastic case.

Shepherd was arrested on the original Magoffin County indictment warrant, which included the following charges:

• Possession of a controlled substance (first degree, first offense; drug unspecified).
• Possession of a controlled substance (first degree, first offense; methamphetamine).
• Tampering with physical evidence.
• Possession of a controlled substance (first degree, first offense; heroin).
• Operating vehicle with expired operator’s license.

Shepherd was also charged with the following offenses stemming from the search that officers conducted in Morgan County:
• Trafficking in a controlled substance (first degree, first offense; more than two grams of methamphetamine).
• Persistent felony offender.
• Fleeing or evading police (first degree).

Shepherd remains lodged at Big Sandy Regional Detention Center at press time.

Editor’s Note: The indictment or charge of a person by a grand jury or otherwise is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.