An early-morning traffic stop Saturday in Corbin led police to a home in Knox County where a mother claims she left her children with a man she didn’t know. Police discovered numerous narcotics, drug paraphernalia and even an active meth leb when they arrived at the residence.
It all started at about 4:47 a.m. on Gordon Street near the entrance to the KY 312 boat ramp. Corbin Police Officer Kirk Mays stopped a vehicle driven by Edward Martin, 24, of Sterns, for reckless driving. Police suspected Martin was intoxicated.
According to Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputy Ron Bowling, who assisted during the arrest, officers noticed the smell of marijuana shortly after the car was pulled over.
Martin consented to a search of the vehicle. A search of the vehicle yielded the discovery of a bag filled with a white powdery substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
Micah Gray, 19, of Flat Lick, and Latrina Martin, 25, of Corbin were passengers in the vehicle. Authorities say the bag was found under Martin’s foot where she was trying to conceal it after exiting the vehicle.
Martin told authorities, during questioning, that she had left her children at a home on Gilbert Street in Knox County with a person she did not know. She asked officers to check on her children.
When police arrived at the residence, they found 27-year-old Timothy Feltner, of Corbin, there along with the children. Also discovered was a functional one-step methamphetamine lab, prescription-controlled narcotics and drug paraphernalia.
"She indicated that all of this would be lying around in plain sight," Bowling said. "It was definitely something we were concerned about."
The children were transported to Baptist Regional Medical Center in Corbin to be checked out. They were later released to the custody of a family member.
All four suspects were arrested on the following charges:
¥ Edward Martin – controlled substance endangerment to a child, manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance second degree, possession of drug paraphernalia, trafficking in a controlled substances first degree, possession of a controlled substance first degree, reckless driving.
¥ Micah Gray – controlled substance endangerment to a child, manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance second degree, possession of drug paraphernalia, trafficking in a controlled substance first degree, possession of a controlled substance first degree, public intoxication.
¥ Latrina Martin – trafficking in a controlled substance first degree, possession of a controlled substance first degree, possession of drug paraphernalia, public intoxication, controlled substance endangerment to a child, manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance second degree.
¥ Timothy Feltner – controlled substance endangerment to a child, manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance second degree, possession of drug paraphernalia, two bench warrants.
Edward Martin, Latrina Martin and Micah Gray were all lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center and remain there as of press time Tuesday on $75,000 cash bonds.
Feltner was lodged in the Knox County Detention Center and remains there on a $50,000 cash bond.
Mays is continuing an investigation into the case.
Officers Glenn Taylor Jr., Rick Baker, Shannon Jones and Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputies Ron Bowling and Dennis Foley assisted.
