A Columbus man has been charged with dealing a prescription drug after Nashville police pulled him over for crossing the center line.
Officers reported finding about 65 grams of Xanax in baggies in the vehicle that Tyler T. Sherman, 19, was driving Nov. 2. They also reported finding “green alien head” labels in the car and in Sherman’s pocket, and text messages on his iPhone that he exchanged with people wanting to buy “bars.”
Xanax, a sedative, is prescribed to treat anxiety.
In one text message, Sherman said “I’m the better drug dealer than most,” according to a probable-cause affidavit filed with Brown Circuit Court. The person, listed as “Please end me,” replied, “True,” the report said.
Nashville Police Officer Matthew Hatchett stopped Sherman for swerving and crossing the center line at about 7:40 p.m. Nov. 2 at the junction of State Road 46 East and State Road 135 South.
He denied having any illegal substances or having taken anything that would explain his driving; he told the officer he was scratching his head, Hatchett’s report said.
The officer told him he was giving him a warning for driving left of center and having an expired insurance card. Hatchett asked him if he could search his vehicle to make sure there was nothing illegal in the vehicle, and Sherman consented, the report said.
In addition to the pills, bags and labels, Hatchett and Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Colton Magner reported finding $95 in Sherman’s wallet and another $280 separately.
When talking with police, Sherman referred to the pills as “Xanax bars.” He told police his friends sold the pills for between $5 and $10 and ordered them online for $3.50 each, the report said.
Sherman said he had a friend with him in the vehicle while going to Taco Bell in Bloomington and the friend must have left the drugs in the car.
Sherman was booked into the Brown County jail that evening and posted $30,000 bond 12 hours later, according to jail records.
On Nov. 14, he was charged with dealing in a Schedule IV controlled substance, a Level 3 felony.
