South Bend man arrested on drug charges following traffic stop

Photo courtesy Indiana State Police

A South Bend man was arrested on drug charges after a trooper conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle Saturday night, according to Indiana State Police.

Around 11 p.m., a trooper noticed a vehicle whose driver committed several moving violations on Lincolnway East and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle, reports said.

While speaking with the driver, 26-year-old Deandre Franklin, the trooper noticed a handgun on the driver’s side floorboard, reports said.

K-9 Nala conducted a free air sniff of the vehicle and alerted to the odor of narcotics, reports said.

During a search of the vehicle, the trooper located six plastic baggies of suspected marijuana, a digital scale, a baggie of suspected cocaine and a baggie of suspected ecstasy, according to police.

Franklin was taken to the St. Joseph County Jail and faces preliminary charges of dealing cocaine between 1 and 5 grams, dealing Schedule I controlled substance between 5-10 grams, dealing cocaine, possession of cocaine less than 5 grams, dealing marijuana, possession of cocaine, possession of a controlled substance with enhancement, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of marijuana.