NEW MADRID -- An Indiana man is in custody on drug charges after his arrest Thursday in New Madrid County.
According to the probable cause statement from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Robert S. Hormel, 38, of Richmond, Ind., was stopped for speeding on Interstate 55 by the Patrol. While the Patrol officer was talking to Hormel, the officer stated he noticed Hormel was trembling, and several of his travel plans seemed made up.
Hormel stated he was in Little Rock, Ark., but said he had been to Texarkana. When the vehicle was searched, receipts were found from a town one hour south of Houston.
The Patrol did a canine search of the vehicle which alerted on the passenger window and rear passenger door. The vehicle was towed to the Sikeston Service Center where four packages wrapped in duct tape were found behind the backseat that contained 7.5 pounds of a white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine.
Hormel is charged with a felony first-degree trafficking in drugs and a misdemeanor charge of speeding.
Bond is set at $75,000 cash only, and as of press time, he remained in custody in the New Madrid County Jail.