THP with West Tennessee Drug Task Force Arrest Three on Felony Identity Theft Trafficking & Forgery

MEMPHIS –- A traffic stop made by a Tennessee State Trooper assigned to the West Tennessee Drug Task Force (WTDTF) led to the arrest of three men on drug, identity theft trafficking and forgery charges in Haywood County on Monday night. 

Trooper Grant Montgomery, a member of the West Tennessee Drug Task Force, was conducting stationary radar on the eastbound side of Interstate 40 near mile marker 43, when he clocked an Isuzu Sedan traveling 86 miles per hour in a 70 mile per hour zone on Monday night. Trooper Montgomery activated his emergency equipment and attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle which was now traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour.  

Trooper Montgomery observed suspicious movement from all three occupants of the suspect vehicle. Following the traffic stop, he advised the driver to exit the vehicle, frisked the suspect and discovered what appeared to have been brass knuckles on the driver’s person.  Trooper Montgomery secured the driver in his patrol unit and requested assistance. Trooper Jeff Fuller and Agent Brent Hill, both WTDTF agents, responded to the scene and took the driver into custody.  

Upon further investigation, Trooper Montgomery detected the odor of marijuana from the passenger side of the vehicle.  Investigators removed the remaining two vehicle occupants and conducted a probable cause search of their persons and the vehicle. Trooper Fuller then recognized one of the suspect’s as a person he recently arrested for felony marijuana possession.

The WTDTF agents uncovered marijuana hidden in the sock of one of the suspects and approximately 23 gift or debit cards were recovered in the vehicle. Additional examination by Sgt. Matt Sipes of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s Identity Crimes Unit found that 11 of the gift or debit cards were reimaged with stolen credit card information.  

The three occupants, Markee Hoskins, 21; Keyone L. Reams, 21; and Curtis L. Smith, 24, all out of Jackson, Tenn., were arrested and charged with felony identity theft trafficking and forgery.  Hoskins was also charged with possession of marijuana, while Reams (the driver) was charged with possession of a prohibited weapon (brass knuckles) and reckless driving.  They were transported to the Haywood County Jail and each held on a $100,000 bond.

Booking photos may be obtained from the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol is a partner with the West Tennessee Drug Task Force and has assigned troopers to the West Tennessee Drug Task Force Interstate Interdiction Unit. 

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s (www.TN.Gov/safety) mission is to ensure that our state is a safe, secure place in which to live, work and travel; enforce the law with integrity; and provide customer-focused services professionally and efficiently.