Two pounds of suspected meth seized, pair face federal charges

Part of the seized meth/Laurel County Sheriff’s Department

Jimmy E. Cox/Laurel County Sheriff’s Department

Michael D. Bowling/Laurel County Sheriff’s Department

LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) – A simple lane change violation lands two men in jail and gets a suspect two pounds of methamphetamine off the streets.

According to Laurel County Sheriff John Root, 62-year-old Michael D. Bowling, of Hog Branch Road in Tyner, Ky., and 47-year-old Jimmy E. Cox, of First Avenue West in Hendersonville, N.C., both face federal drug trafficking charges after Laurel deputies discovered the large amount of meth.

They were charged following a traffic stop late Sunday night by Deputy Landry Collett on the Hal Rogers Parkway after the Buick Rainier Bowling was driving made an improper lane change.

Once stopped, Collett, with the help of deputies Justin Taylor and Tommy Houston, discovered Bowling was suspected of driving under the influence and driving on a suspended license, according to the sheriff.

During a search the meth and a used needle were seized, Root said.