More than 30 grams of meth leads to trafficking charge

A Hennessey man faces felony drug trafficking charges after the Kingfisher County Sheriff’s Office allegedly found more than 30 grams of methamphetamine while arresting the man on an outstanding Okfuskee County warrant.

Gary Lee Russel, aka Gary Lee, 45, 121 N. Cimarron, Hennessey, pleaded not guilty to the felony trafficking charge last Wednesday in Kingfisher County District Court, as well as a misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.

He is due back in court Feb. 14 at 1:30 p.m.

Sheriff Dennis Banther and deputies Todd Davis, Joe Cox, Rodney Walker and J.J. Stitt executed the Okfuskee County arrest warrant at the Hennessey residence Jan. 10, according to Davis’ affidavit.

Lee was at the house and initially attempted to identify himself as his brother, Shawn Lee, but was arrested by Stitt on the outstanding warrant.

Officers obtained permission to search the residence from other occupants and found an amount of a crystalline substance that was later weighed at 8.33 grams and tested positive as methamphetamine, according to Davis’ affidavit.

Another resident allegedly reported seeing Lee put a zippered bag containing drugs in the attic crawl space above the bathroom. Davis found a gray handbag in the attic that contained 23.5 grams of a crystalline substance that also tested positive as meth, according to the affidavit.

If convicted on the felony trafficking charge, Lee faces up to life in prison.