Duo jailed on charges of trafficking

SANDPOINT — Two Montana men were arrested Wednesday following a traffic stop in which nearly 5 pounds of marijuana was discovered.

Aaron Justin Minney and Thomas Allen Swanson are charged with trafficking and possession of drug paraphernalia. The two made initial appearances in Bonner County Magistrate Court via video feed from the Bonner County Jail.

Judge Debra Heise set bail at $10,300 each and appointed public defenders to represent Minney and Swanson, according to court documents.

Minney, a 29-year-old from Libby, and Swanson, a 30-year-old from Basin, were traveling in separate vehicles when Minney was pulled over at Church and Third for having unlawful window and taillight tinting on the Toyota Camry he was driving, according to an Idaho State Police affidavit.

Minney appeared anxious and nervous and admitted there was a small amount of pot in the vehicle, the affidavit said. An archery bow case in the trunk contained 10 vacuum-sealed packages containing pot, the affidavit said. A box containing 500 resealable zipper storage bags was also recovered from the vehicle, court records indicate.

The arrests were made as part of a criminal interdiction emphasis patrol, according to the affidavit.

Preliminary hearings in the cases are set for Nov. 9.