At approximately midnight on August 16, 2019, Officer Joe Harsh conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the Walmart parking lot at 589 W Main St. Based on paraphernalia items in plain view, Officer Harsh asked the front passenger, identified as Jiteshbhai Patel, to step out of the vehicle. A consensual
search of Patel’s person revealed paraphernalia items such as small baggies and needles.
Cookeville Police Officer Jacob Byrd and his K-9 partner, Edo, arrived to assist Officer Harsh on the traffic stop. Officer Byrd and Edo conducted an open- air search around the vehicle which resulted in a positive indication. A probable cause search of the vehicle resulted in approximately .7 grams of a crystal substance believed to be Methamphetamine and more paraphernalia items such as a glass pipe and more baggies. Mr. Patel claimed the drugs and paraphernalia were his, as was the vehicle. Therefore, the driver of the vehicle was released from the scene.
Officer Harsh had the vehicle towed for registration issues and transported Mr. Patel to the Putnam County Justice Center. Once inside the jail, Officer Harsh was informed by a corrections officer that Mr. Patel has also been concealing a bag of crystalline substance on his person which weighed approximately 3.6 grams. In total, Mr. Patel was charged with Manufacture/Delivery/Sale of Methamphetamine, Public Intoxication, and Introduction to a Penal Institution.
A female passenger, identified as Constanza Vali, was also found to have outstanding warrants in Putnam County and was taken into custody.
