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At 4:15 p.m. on April 22, a Trooper assigned to the Troop D Community Action Team was operating his cruiser on the Taunton Green Rotary when he observed the operator of a Chevrolet truck using a cell phone while driving. An electronic inquiry of the license plate revealed the vehicle’s registration was revoked at which point the Trooper activated his cruiser’s blue lights and initiated a traffic stop. While the vehicle was pulling over the Trooper observed the operator reaching toward various areas of the interior of the vehicle.
Upon the vehicle coming to a full stop, the Trooper identified the operator as KIANA MENDES, 38, of Taunton, and informed her why she was stopped. After gathering her information the Trooper conducted an inquiry of her driver’s license, which revealed her status to operate a vehicle in Massachusetts was suspended. MENDES was then removed from the vehicle and placed under arrest. Prior to the vehicle being towed from the scene the Trooper conducted an inventory of its contents and located numerous items commonly used in the distribution of illegal narcotics. At this point the Trooper requested a K-9 search of the vehicle, which revealed baggies of a substance suspected to be crack cocaine with a combined weight of 64 grams, in addition to numerous pills, cash, and suboxone strips.
MENDES was transported to State Police-Middleboro where she was booked. A bail commissioner was contacted and set bail at $5,000. MENDES was eventually transferred to the Ash Street Jail pending arraignment at Taunton District Court for the following charges:
1. Trafficking in Cocaine;
2. Possession of a Class B Substance, six counts;
3. Operating a Motor Vehicle with a Suspended License;
4. Operating a Motor Vehicle with a Suspended Registration;
5. Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle; and
6. Using an Electronic Device while Operating a Motor Vehicle.
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