Buckhannon man arrested for alleged heroin possession following traffic stop

Monica Zalaznik
November 17, 2021

BUCKHANNON – An Upshur County man was arrested Monday for allegedly possessing heroin stamps and methamphetamine following a traffic stop for an expired vehicle registration.

Alex Arbogast, 23, of Buckhannon, was arrested for possession with intent to deliver heroin and possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, both felonies.

According to the criminal complaint in the Upshur County Magistrate Clerk’s Office filed by investigating officer Patrolman James Fisher with the Buckhannon Police Department, on Nov. 15, 2021, while assisting Patrolman Jacob Garrison at a traffic stop, Fisher spotted a white Chevy Trax drive down Route 20 South with an expired registration.

Fisher turned onto Route 20 South and caught up to the vehicle on Route 33 East. The officer initiated his blue lights and performed a traffic stop. Arbogast complied and told the officer that his driver’s license was revoked, according to the file. Soon after, Upshur County Sheriff’s deputy Cole Bender arrived on scene to assist, at which point Arbogast and his passenger agreed to a search of the vehicle.

Before Fisher started his search, Arbogast allegedly told police he had “some heroin stamps and ‘ice’ in a pill bottle located in his backpack,” the police report states. Fisher allegedly found a pill bottle containing three “buns,” which consist of approximately 10 heroin stamps each and 3.4 grams of methamphetamine packaged separately, the complaint states. Fisher also reportedly found a backpack with plastic sandwich bags and a small container with methamphetamine residue.

Arbogast claimed he put sugar in the plastic bags containing heroin stamps; however, he later changed his story, saying he purchased the stamps “half with heroin and half with sugar,” Fisher wrote in the report.

Bail was set at $50,000 cash or surety by Upshur County Magistrate Alan Suder.

The penalty for each count of possession with intent to deliver, either heroin and methamphetamine, is confinement in the state penitentiary for not less than one year nor more than 15 years, a fine of up to $25,000, or both.