O'FALLON, Mo. — An O’Fallon, MO man has been charged with intent to distribute fentanyl while having custody of a minor.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office, Thomas John Rowland, 30, was charged by federal complaint with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to a release, officers from the O’Fallon Missouri Police Department were investigating a felony leaving the scene of an accident and endangering the welfare of a child case when they saw a 2016 GMC Yukon that was registered to Rowland hit several mailboxes.
Officers then went to Rowland’s house to investigate, at which point they questioned Rowland and his 3-year-old son in their driveway. Officers determined during questioning Rowland that he was under the influence of opioids “as his pupils were pinpoint, his speech was slurred and he almost fell asleep standing up,” The United States Attorney’s Office said.
Rowland’s 3-year-old son told officers that his 6-year-old brother was also inside the home.
While looking for the child inside the home, officers found numerous capsules of heroin and fentanyl.
“A search warrant was obtained resulting in the seizure of approximately 731 heroin/fentanyl capsules including 96 capsules in a plastic bag on a shelf in the closet of the master bedroom and 458 capsules in a partially open kitchen drawer,” The United States Attorney’s Office said.
The 6-year-old child was found unsupervised and asleep on a couch, just feet away from the drugs.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force and the O’Fallon Police Department are investigating these current charges.
"A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law," the United States Attorney's Office said in the release.
RELATED STORIES:
