Major Drug Seizure Made in Kokomo Traffic Stop

A traffic stop in Kokomo, Indiana led to a major drug seizure, three arrests, and the discovery of multiple illegal drugs, firearms, and cash.At 11:20 p.m. on Tuesday, a Howard County Sheriff's Office deputy initiated a traffic stop near the intersection of Buckeye Street and Woodland Avenue after observing a vehicle operating with a non-functioning headlight. The vehicle, occupied by Michael Steelman (driver) and Joshua Smith (passenger), was being searched."During the stop, both occupants were found to have active arrest warrants," said Sheriff's Office officials.Smith had two outstanding warrants in Howard County, while Steelman had an active warrant out of Maine. Officials in Maine declined to extradite Steelman.A search of the vehicle uncovered a hygiene kit containing a small plastic bag of suspected methamphetamine. Neither occupant claimed ownership of the drugs, but Smith was found to have a glass smoking device on his person.After arriving at the jail, a body scanner revealed an anomaly on Smith's person, leading to the recovery of a concealed plastic bag containing 29.2 grams of methamphetamine from his undergarments.Further investigation revealed a connection between Smith and a current inmate facing methamphetamine dealing charges.Given these findings, deputies obtained a search warrant for a residence in the 1700 block of South Armstrong Street in Kokomo. At 1:52 a.m. on Wednesday, deputies executed the search warrant with the assistance of K-9 and support units.The search of the residence revealed:* 173 grams of methamphetamine* 10.8 grams of fentanyl* 58.1 grams of marijuana* 46 dosage units of LSD* Multiple loaded firearms, including handguns and a rifle* Numerous glass smoking devices and assorted ammunitionMichelle Steelman, 53, was found inside the residence and taken into custody.Michael Steelman was preliminarily charged with dealing methamphetamine, dealing a schedule l, ll, or lll controlled substance, possession of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia, possession of marijuana/hash oil/hashish/salvia, and felon in possession of a firearm.Michelle Steelman was preliminarily charged with dealing methamphetamine, possession of marijuana/hash oil/hashish/salvia, and possession of paraphernalia.Joshua Smith was preliminarily charged with two outstanding warrants, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of paraphernalia.