Cops: Pounds of Marijuana, $106K Found in Motel

A roaming German Shepard at the Red Roof Inn led to a huge marijuana bust by Salem Police and the arrest of a man from Conway, according to a press statement.

Charles Leroy Barcus, 62, was arrested on June 23, 2015, and charged with possession of a felony count of controlled drugs with intent to distribute.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Salem Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction. Click this link to find out how to get a name removed from a New Hampshire Patch police report.

According to police, officers were sent to the motel at around 9:30 a.m. for a report of possible drug activity in one of the rooms. When they arrived, detectives spoke to motel staffers that reported that a dog belonging to a man in one of the rooms was roaming around the grounds. One of the housekeepers approached the dog but it ran away. The housekeeper then went to tell the dog owner, Barcus, about the missing pooch.

“The housekeeper entered the room in an attempt to notify the owner and looked in the bathroom,” according to Lt. Michael Kelly of the Salem Police Department. “The housekeeper did not locate anyone in the room, however did smell a strong odor of marijuana and a large black trash bag in the tub. The housekeeper immediately exited the room and awaited SPD arrival.”

Detectives “immediately smelled a strong odor of marijuana from outside the room” and then, saw Barcus pull up in his vehicle.

“Barcus admitted he had marijuana in the room and gave consent to the detectives to search the room,” according to Kelly. “Located in the room was over 20 pounds of marijuana, as well as $106,000 in U.S. currency.”

Barcus was arrested and held on $50,000 cash bail. He’s due back in court on July 1.

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