Pictured is the heroin and drug paraphernalia confiscated by the New Martinsville Police Department after a routine traffic stop Monday night.

New Martinsville Police Department Chief Tim Cecil has reported that Shaun Michael Haslam, 31, of 42900 Long Ridge Road, Clarington, was arrested Monday night and charged with possession with intent to deliver.

Cecil reported that around 8 p.m. Patrolman Jason Utt initialized a routine traffic stop for a seatbelt violation. Cecil added that a K-9 unit was called and law enforcement received a consent to search. The driver of the vehicle and Haslam, the passenger of the vehicle, were both searched, along with the vehicle itself, a black Dodge Charger. Cecil stated that 60 stamps of heroin were found in a cigarette pouch, along with $500 in wrapped cash and 16 syringes. Rubberbands were also found, each being used to wrap around several stamps of heroin.

Cecil stated that no charges were filed against the driver, who claimed he had picked Haslam up to get cigarettes; Cecil stated that Haslam was the passenger in the vehicle and “took responsibility for what was found.”

“It’s a wonderful job done by a new patrolman out of the academy,” Cecil noted of Utt, who was later accompanied by Patrolmen Adam Skinner and K-9 Kenny, Michael Owens, and Courtney South.

“We do routine traffic stops,” Cecil said. “That was the second vehicle searched last night, but the first one we came up with nothing. More often than not we get nothing, but when our officers are out there making routine traffic stops and pulling people over, sometimes we get lucky and find something.”

Shaun Michael Haslam

Haslam was taken to the Northern Regional Jail and, as of press time, had not yet been arraigned.