Wyoming Sheriff: Over Half A Ton Of Pot Seized In Past Year

Sweetwater County Sheriff Mike Lowell said Saturday his deputies have seized over half a ton of marijuana worth over $5 million on Interstate 80 over the past year.

The sheriff said his department has also arrested people for transporting liquid marijuana, dab (marijuana wax) and meth as well as some heroin.

The most recent big pot bust happened on Oct. 25 when 36-year-old Shekevia Michelle Kidd (photo) was arrested by a sheriff's office K9 unit on Interstate 80 just west of Rock Springs. Deputies say she was carrying 113.5 pounds of weed in her vehicle.

At last report, Kidd was being held on $20,000 cash or surety bond in the Sweetwater County detention center.

“There is a tremendous amount of money involved in drug trafficking along I-80,” Lowell said. “What our canine teams have seized since last October alone is worth well in excess of $5 million. Those transporting the drugs are paid $7,000 to $15,000 or more per trip - that’s a lot of money for a few days of travel.”

The sheriff said there is also a lot of sex trafficking on I-80.  He pointed to the case of David Peter Vier, recently sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for trafficking teen-age girls for sexual activity.

He was arrested by county officers when he drove two underage girls from Washington to Little America, where they escaped him and called for help.