On March 24, at 1:41 in the afternoon, the Hamilton County sheriff's deputy stopped a Ford Mustang on Lee Highway for an expired tag. He spoke to the driver, 26-year-old Megan Lee, and her passenger, a tattooed man who handed over a Georgia driver's license with the name "Michael Brock."
Deputy Larry Posey couldn't recall Friday in Hamilton County General Sessions Court if the duo appeared nervous. But the ID appeared to be fake, so he carried it back to his patrol car.
He pulled up a database of mugshots, entered some characteristics - height, weight, race. And when a stream of hits came back, Posey scrolled through the pictures until he located a shot that matched Joshua Gilstrap, a 36-year-old man wanted in Catoosa County, Ga.
He returned to the Mustang and asked Lee to step out of the Mustang. Lee told him she had previously been arrested for narcotics. He asked to search the car. Lee said yes.
On the driver's side floorboard, Posey found a nesting doll of evidence: a black bag opened to reveal a Crown Royal bag, inside which were two smaller bags, which contained methamphetamine. He found a meth pipe, a set of scales, two loaded .380-caliber guns. He weighed the drugs - 43 grams, all told - but neither Lee nor Gilstrap claimed them.
Prosecutor Dave Schmidt called Posey to testify Friday before Judge Christie Sell. After hearing his testimony, Sell agreed to send their charges over to a grand jury on the same bonds.
Lee faces charges of possession of a firearm with intent to go armed, driving while in possession of methamphetamine, possession of ice methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Her co-defendant, Gilstrap, faces charges of possession of a firearm with intent to go armed, criminal impersonation, possession of ice methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
During the hearing, defense attorneys Zak Newman and Rip Biggs focused on Lee's cooperation and the officer's initial stop.
"You didn't have any indication to believe she was being untruthful?" Newman asked.
"No."
"And so when you were talking to her in front of her car, you weren't watching every move Mr. Gilstrap made?" he asked.
"No."
During his cross-examination, Posey said he worked with another law enforcement agency but never identified it. The Drug Enforcement Administration confirmed Friday it worked with Hamilton County on the arrest.
Contact staff writer Zack Peterson at zpeterson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6347 with story ideas or tips. Follow @zackpeterson918.