Jefferson City man charged with drug possession, distribution

A Jefferson City man faces multiple counts of drug-related charges filed Wednesday by Cole County prosecutors.

Byron Dequenson Williams, 30, of Jefferson City, was charged with three counts of second-degree drug trafficking and one count of unlawful use of a weapon following a May 21 investigation in the 1200 block of Swifts Highway.

In a separate case, also filed Wednesday, Williams was charged with three counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia Feb. 4.

In the Tuesday incident, a police probable cause statement reports, Williams was sitting in a vehicle in a parking lot when police executed a search warrant at the address.

However, an officer smelled a marijuana odor coming from Williams’ car. Williams said he had been smoking tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) oil in a vape pipe.

However, the police statement said, officers found smoked marijuana in the front of the car, a bag containing “several different narcotics,” and a 9mm Smith and Wesson handgun.

The statement identified the narcotics as 14 grams of crack cocaine, 87 grams of ecstasy (in pill form) and 37 grams of methamphetamine.

The weapons charged stemmed from having a gun while also possessing the drugs.

Police said the Feb. 4 incident occurred in the 400 block of Dix Road after Williams was stopped when he failed to yield to oncoming traffic at the Industrial Drive intersection and nearly caused an accident.

The probable cause statement for that case says officers “observed Williams conceal contraband in his pants” as the officers approached his car, and “a strong odor of marijuana was emanating from the vehicle while officers were speaking with Williams.”

When he was searched, the statement says, police found 8 grams of a substance suspected of being cocaine, five tablets identified as MDMA/ecstasy and around 12 grams of marijuana.

Officers also said they found a digital scale under the passenger seat.