GREENFIELD — A traffic stop led to the discovery of a large amount of money and what police believe to be “crack” cocaine Wednesday.
Andre Yarns, 29, of Springfield, was charged with trafficking cocaine, 18 to 36 grams; unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle; operation of an unregistered motor vehicle; and impeded operation of a motor vehicle, according to a post on the Greenfield Police Department’s Facebook page. Bail was set at $5,000 and Yarns was arraigned Thursday in Greenfield District Court.
According to the Facebook post, Greenfield Police Officer Jay Butynski was on patrol at around 9:37 p.m. Wednesday when he conducted a “registration query” on a vehicle with a Pennsylvania license plate driving in front of him.
The query showed the vehicle was unregistered and appeared to be a rental car, the post reads. Butynski stopped the vehicle near Wells Street on Allen Street.
Yarns, the driver, presented a North Carolina driver’s license and “exhibited behaviors and gave inconsistent statements, which raised further suspicion,” according to the post. Officer Cody Guilbault had also observed the vehicle in the area a short while earlier, and assisted Butynski with the stop.
“Further investigation by the officers led them to develop probable cause to place Mr. Yarns under arrest for unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle,” the statement reads. “While searching Mr. Yarns pursuant to that arrest, a large amount of suspected ‘crack’ cocaine was located in Mr. Yarns’ crotch area.”
Nearly $4,000 in cash was located in the vehicle, along with two cellphones. According to the post, all of the items were seized and secured as evidence.
Reach David McLellan at dmclellan@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 268.