By Pat Culverhouse

An early Wednesday morning traffic stop on I-20 has put a Tennessee man in the Webster Parish prison on drug and weapon charges.

Knoxville resident David Jerome Bentley, 60, was reportedly stopped for a traffic violation by a Louisiana State Police trooper as he travelled east on the interstate just after 7 a.m.

According to an incident report, Trooper James Bailey suspected criminal activity and received permission to conduct a search of Bentley’s vehicle.

During the search, the trooper reportedly located a loaded Glock 23 .40-caliber handgun on the front passenger seat. Bentley reportedly had informed the officer of the firearm, and claimed to have a permit.

A further search uncovered a locked camouflage-colored cloth container inside a plastic bag behind the front passenger seat. The officer reportedly noticed the odor of marijuana emitting from the container. After obtaining a code to open the container, multiple sealed plastic bags containing suspected marijuana reportedly were found.

Bentley was taken to Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center where he was booked for improper lane use, possession of CDS Sch. I (marijuana) and possession of a firearm in the presence of CDS.  Bond has not been set.

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.