Joplin traffic stop leads to drug trafficking arrest
May 6—Police seized 17 grams of cocaine, more than 100 alprazolam pills and a handful of ecstasy pills during a traffic stop about 1 a.m. Saturday in Joplin.
Capt. William Davis of the Joplin police said an officer stopped a vehicle that made an illegal left turn onto Seventh Street from Illinois Avenue and ended up arresting its 21-year-old female driver on charges of driving while intoxicated, running a red light and driving without a license.
A few alprazolam pills discovered on the floorboard of one of the passenger seats led to the arrest of Madeleine K. Mancini, 20, of Joplin, on possession of a controlled substance and six outstanding warrants. Davis said a search at Joplin City Jail allegedly turned up several more bags of alprazolam pills, the cocaine and the ecstasy on Mancini's person and that she was charged with a second count of possession and second-degree trafficking in drugs.
A third occupant of the vehicle, a 43-year-old woman, was arrested on two warrants and a misdemeanor offense of possession of drug paraphernalia.
