By Shawn Stinson
A Franklin man entered a guilty plea on two drug charges last month in a Harrison County court.
Frankie Lee Clark, 32, of Reeds Creek Road in Franklin pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to deliver heroin and one count of conspiracy to deliver fentanyl on July 27 in Clarksburg. The charges stemmed from a May 2021 incident in Harrison County.
Officials said Clark is expected to be sentenced in September in Clarksburg.
Authorities had alleged Clark was a passenger in a Honda Accord with an expired motor vehicle inspection sticker. Harrison County Sheriff Deputy Wes Harkins conducted a traffic stop near the West End Fire Department sub station on West Pike Street in Clarksburg. As the driver was pulling the vehicle over, Harkins noted the rear passenger “was moving a lot in the back seat.”
The driver of the vehicle said her identification was in the trunk. Neither the driver nor another passenger in the vehicle were able to locate the vehicle’s registration or insurance information. Harkins contacted officials to verify this information via the state database. During the wait for the response, Harkins inquired if there “was anything illegal in the car I should know about.” The trio said no, but the other passenger said she had prescribed medication for “her hip.”
Harkins requested backup and Clarksburg Police Officer Brett Levine assisted in the traffic stop. When Levine arrived at the scene, Harkins retrieved K-9 Gotchi from his cruiser to perform a search of the vehicle. According to Harkins, Gotchi indicated a substance on the rear passenger seat where Clark had been sitting prior to the traffic stop. All three of the vehicle’s occupants were removed and the vehicle was searched.
Levine searched Clark and discovered a quantity of 250 heroin stamps. The stamps were hidden in Clark’s groin area. The driver said the drugs were hers. Both Clark and the driver were transported and processed at the Clarksburg jail.
