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Stephens County authorities seize $40K worth of pot

DUNCAN, Okla. – The Stephens County Drug Task Force seized nearly $40,000 worth of high-grade marijuana from a suspected drug dealer in Duncan Tuesday night.

Investigators say they got a tip that Edward Schofield had recently moved back after spending time in California.  The tip led to a storage unit, where they confronted Schofield, and found marijuana and nearly $8,000 in cash.

Investigators say because Schofield had just returned from California and had only been living here just over a month, he was not able to move the amount of drugs he had intended to.  Both the Stephens County District Attorney, Jason Hicks, and investigators say that is good for their county, since 30 lbs of drugs will remain off of their streets.

"This operation and 28 lbs of marijuana is going to have the street value of roughly $40,000," said Hicks.

Fortunately, Hicks says none of this will see the streets of Stephens County.

"That's going to shut down supplies for a little while," said Hicks.

Hicks says the man responsible for bringing the drugs into his county, Schofield, did not seem to think there was a problem.

"I was growing it to use and sell for medicinal purposes, which obviously in the state of Oklahoma we don't have that law here and hopefully we never will," said Hicks.

Drug task for director Justin Scott says his guys were tipped off several times about Schofield's operation.  He says each tip was detailed and seemed to be credible.

"Typically it's very secretive, but well known in the addiction based community," said Scott.

Hicks says investigators tracked Schofield to a storage facility where he quickly gave up.

"I think the lifestyle they live is they run and have a paranoia that someone is watching them," said Hicks.

But despite knowing he was being watched...

"Generally they're in it to make a profit and those guys are not going to be rehabilitated and that's why I have no problem seeing him go to prison," said Hicks.

Scott says he and his talk force hopes Schofield's arrest resonates with other drug dealers or users.

"You know we have an individual that's been here for several months.  We've known about it since he's hit town.  If you're trafficking in Stephens County, your time is coming," said Scott.

Investigators say Schofield is facing drug trafficking charges and is looking at several years in prison.