NOBLE COUNTY, Ohio (AVC News) — A routine traffic stop on Interstate 77 in Noble County led to the arrest of two Akron residents and the seizure of suspected fentanyl, prescription drugs, and cash, according to authorities.
On the evening of February 26, Deputy Jack Ridenour observed a vehicle traveling southbound near Belle Valley with an equipment violation. The driver, 23-year-old Bianca Hill, was also found to be operating the vehicle on an expired license, while the passenger was identified as 26-year-old Preston Stafford.
Sgt. Cory Baker and Sheriff’s K-9 Cora conducted an open-air sniff of the vehicle, which alerted officers to the presence of illegal narcotics. A subsequent search uncovered multiple baggies of suspected fentanyl, various prescription pills, and a large amount of U.S. currency.
Both Hill and Stafford were taken into custody and transported to the Noble County Jail. Hill faces charges including Possession of a Fentanyl-Related Compound (F-1), Trafficking in a Fentanyl-Related Compound (F-1), Aggravated Possession of Drugs (F-3 and F-5), Aggravated Trafficking in Drugs (F-3), and Possession of Drugs (M-1). She also received citations for her vehicle equipment violation, failure to display a license plate, and driving on an expired license…