A Des Moines man is back in custody after failing to appear in court on charges stemming from a traffic stop on Highway 163 in Marion County earlier this year.
Jerry Goff, 25, is charged with Person Ineligible to Carry Dangerous Weapons, a serious misdemeanor; Possession of Controlled Substance – Methamphetamine First Offense, a serious misdemeanor; and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor.
According to court documents, on August 22nd, at approximately 11:48 p.m., an officer initiated a traffic stop on Highway 163 East near Pella for improper rear lamps. Goff was identified as a passenger in the vehicle. After the officer observed a long rifle behind the driver’s seat and confirmed the driver was a convicted felon, Goff was asked to exit the vehicle so a certified narcotics K-9 could conduct an open-air sniff. When Goff exited, officers discovered he had a revolver in his shorts pocket.
The K-9 alerted to the odor of narcotics on the passenger side of the vehicle. A search turned up a cut straw with residue on the passenger seat where Goff had been sitting. A search of Goff’s person yielded a dollar bill containing a crystal-like substance. Methamphetamine was also located in the passenger-side door handle.
Goff was arrested and posted a $2,000 surety bond ahead of a preliminary hearing scheduled for September 1st. After a continuance and a failure to appear, an arrest warrant was issued September 15th. The warrant was served November 1st. Goff is now held on a $2,300 cash-only bond. A pretrial conference is scheduled for November 6th.
