A Newton County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) deputy, backed-up by Covington Police Department (CPD) arrested three men from south Fulton County on gun and drug charges Monday after suspicious activity led to a traffic stop on Interstate 20.

According to the NCSO incident report, Deputy Clinton French was conducting business checks in the area of Highway 278 and Highway 11 shortly before midnight March 27 when he observed a 2008 gold Mercury Marquis occupied by three males back into a parking space next to a closed gas station.  Due to recent business burglaries, French made contact with the vehicle.

According to the report, the driver, Jordy Moore, 31, told the deputy he was lost and had pulled over to put an address into his GPS. He also asked which way was north.  After being told, the Mercury left traveling north followed by French before turning into another closed gas station. This time, Moore told the deputy that he needed gas. According to the report, French told Moore that gas stations were open west on Interstate 20.

French reportedly followed the vehicle westbound on Interstate 20 as it passed exits 93, 92 and 90 without stopping for gas. After the vehicle passed the Highway 278 exit, French initiated a traffic stop. The vehicle reportedly had one headlight and its tag light out.

According to the report, French asked Moore to step out of the vehicle and advised him why he was being stopped. He also detected an odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. CPD arrived for back up.

When French returned to the vehicle to question the passengers, the odor of marijuana was reportedly stronger.  According to the report, both passengers produced identification. The front seat passenger was identified as Delvicco Howard, 18. The passenger in the back seat was identified as Darnell Stallworth, 26.  A black handgun was visible on the backseat near Stallworth. He was advised to step out of the vehicle and leave the weapon inside, which he did.

According to the report, due to the strong odor of marijuana, the vehicle was searched. Inside of the passenger compartment an unopened cigarillo package, two small black scales and a small bud of suspected marijuana was found.

In the trunk, French reportedly found several items wrapped in black electrical tape inside of a black plastic bag. According to the report, after placing the three males in his vehicle, French removed the tape from one of the packages and smelled an odor of marijuana coming from it. Another package reportedly contained pills later identified as Xanax.

According to the report, Moore and Stallworth, of East Point, and Howard, of Palmetto, were arrested and transported to the Newton County Law Enforcement Center. They were each charged with possession of a schedule IV controlled substance, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, possession of drug-related objects and possession of marijuana less than an ounce.