Out of the Frying Pan…Farmville Man Arrested in Arizona with 1.5 Kilos of Meth While Out on Bond for Meth Possession Charges

By Evan Jones, Assistant Editor

Two Prince Edward County residents are in custody this week after being arrested on drug trafficking charges in Arizona.

According to court records, John Curtis Smith III, age 29 of Farmville, and Amber Jean Diels, age 32 of Farmville, are being held in the Mohave County Jail in Kingman, Arizona.

Diels is charged with the possession or use of a dangerous drug, possession of a dangerous drug for sale, transporting a dangerous drug, marijuana possession or use and possession or use of drug paraphernalia.

Smith is also charged with the possession or use of a dangerous drug, possession of a dangerous drug for sale, transporting a dangerous drug, marijuana possession or use and possession or use of drug paraphernalia.

The charges stem from a traffic stop on September 19, 2017. The pair was travelling east bound on Interstate 40 when they were stopped for a traffic violation. According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, during the stop, the trooper observed indicators of criminal activity. During the search of the vehicle, troopers located several black plastic PVC pipes containing a total of 3.3 pounds of methamphetamine. They also located a small quantity of marijuana.

Local law enforcement indicated that methamphetamine could sell for $120 per gram in this area of Virginia. The amount found in Smith and Diels’s vehicle, 3.3 pounds, is 1.5 kilograms, or 1500 grams, making the potential street value of the seized methamphetamine around $180,000.

Local court records show that Smith is already scheduled for court dates in November of this year for similar offences. Smith is on the November 30 docket with four cases: possession of a gun while possessing a schedule I or II drug, possession of methamphetamine, carrying a concealed weapon, and driving under a revoked or suspended license.

These charges stem from a June 20 indictment from a grand jury in Prince Edward County. Court records indicate the offence occurred on April 20 of this year and Smith was arrested on June 27.

He was released on a $15,000 bond on July 6, 2017. Smith’s bond contains restrictions that he not leave the Commonwealth of Virginia, that he remain at his home from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. from Monday through Saturday and all day Sunday, and that he not travel more than 75 miles from his home.