Highway stop ends with arrest

Jess Oaks

GOSHEN COUNTY – A stop on U.S. Highway 85 led to a series of charges against a South Dakota man Saturday afternoon.

Len Lee France, 27, was booked into the Goshen County Detention Center at 12:30 p.m. Oct. 12 on charges of one count of possession of a controlled substance, plant form, three ounces or less, and one count of possession of a controlled substance, pill or in capsule form, less than three grams, in one count of violating bail rules and regulations in Crook County.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed in the Eighth Judicial District of Goshen County, Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper Michael Matthews was patrolling U.S. Highway 85 on Oct. 15 when he spotted a vehicle parked on the side of the road. Believing the driver might need help, the officer radioed and pulled behind the green 2006 Ford Taurus.

“I contacted the occupants of the vehicle and advised the driver that he was not legally parked. “Both occupants stated they did not have a driver’s license on them at the time, the occupants identified themselves as Len Lee France and KR,” the affidavit states. “It was also observed that the vehicle had a severely cracked windshield directly in the driver’s field of vision.”

After entering the inmate’s information into the computer terminal, the officer received a message from the Wyoming detention system indicating that France had an active warrant for a probation violation in Crook County. The second occupant, listed only as KR on the affidavit, said he had a revoked driver’s license. France was then arrested at 12:15 p.m. and KR had to organize transport.

While conducting an inventory of the vehicle, authorities found a Glock handgun, a clear plastic baggie containing a suspected controlled substance in pill form and a red pipe with a partially burned suspected marijuana pant shape, documents state.

KR, a “juvenile,” stated that the items were placed by France in the container they were in, the documents say.

“They were his exclusive property,” the affidavit states. “A criminal record was requested for France. The criminal record showed that in France there were several charges of drunk driving and possession of a firearm was prohibited.”

France remains in custody at the Goshen County Detention Center.