A man from the state of California was charged in federal court Friday with possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, after state troopers found approximately 7 pounds of heroin hidden in his vehicle during a traffic stop in Callaway County.
Jose F. Guzman-Pompa, 28, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Jefferson City.
According to court records, a state trooper stopped a vehicle on I-70, in which Guzman-Pompa was a passenger, for a traffic violation on Sept. 3. Guzman-Pompa told the trooper the vehicle was owned by his girlfriend; he was listed on the insurance as a co-owner.
The trooper, after interviewing the driver and Guzman-Pompa, believed they were involved in criminal behavior. Another trooper utilized his canine to conduct a free air sniff of the vehicle. The dog positively alerted for the presence of controlled substances.
A trooper searched the vehicle and found a package hidden under the seat cover of the driver's seat. The package contained approximately 7 pounds of heroin.