Meth Situation at West Virginia Gas Station: Two Adults Found Passed Out at Gas Pump with Car Engine Running

 

Two 20-year-olds in Webster County were found passed out at a gas pump with the vehicle still running. They happened to have crystal methamphetamine on them while at a GoMart gas station in Cowen. They now face sobering jail time.

Pumping gas into a vehicle

For those familiar with the popular TV show, Breaking Bad, methamphetamine can ruin lives in the real world.

Case in point, two adults hopefully learned their lesson after they were found passed out with the vehicle still running at the gas pump with meth inside the vehicle.

Two West Virginia Adults Found Passed Out at the Pump w/ Meth

WBOY 12 News reported West Virginia State Police found Michael Stover, 27, and Makayla Thompson, 25, passed out at a gas pump with the vehicle running at the GoMart in Cowen on 16 October 2023.

West Virginia Troopers found a yellow and green vial, and a clear container in the vehicle with a "white, crystal-like substance" suspected to be meth, three bags of suspected marijuana, a blunt, and 100 clear bags.

Stover and Thompson were locked up in the Central Regional Jail and charged with "possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance."

Michael Stover is from Summersville and Makayla Thompson is from Dixie.

California Man Caught Driving Meth to West Virginia

In September, WAVY 13 News reported that Ildiberto Gonzalez Jr., 29, of San Bernadino, California was caught delivering 196 pounds of meth to Bluefield, West Virginia.

Gonzales was caught as he was driving back to California. He called his West Virginia contact while he was pulled over in a drug trafficking operation called "Operation Smoke and Mirrors."

*Operation Smoke and Mirrors was a joint operation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, and the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office.

Charleston Woman Caught in Operation Smoke and Mirrors

WOWK 13 News reported that in July 2023, Nicole Leigh Fierbaugh, 44, entered a guilty plea to the charge of "conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine" confirming her role after being busted buying and selling meth in Operation Smoke and Mirrors.

She was one of 30 defendants who were charged during the eight-month-long operation to curb the drug trafficking.

Question to the reader: Is meth a problem in your local area? (Share your thoughts in the comments)

Please share this article on social media so others can stay informed.

Sources

Allan, C. "2 people charged after passing out at gas pump in Webster County." WBOY 12 News. 18 October 2023.

Taylor, Isaac. "California man pleads guilty to delivering 200 pounds of meth in semi-truck to West Virginia." WAVY 13 News. 12 September 2023.

Patterson, Jessica. "Woman pleads guilty to ‘Smoke & Mirrors’ meth charge." WOWK 13 News. 13 July 2023.

Elderly Woman Scammed out of $18,000 USD from Scammer Claiming to be from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

An elderly woman loses $18,000 to a scammer who claims he is with the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC). She contacts the police to help her. They get on the phone and the scammer calls her back posing as a police officer using the caller ID to show his number as the Adrian Police Department. Find out what happens when he talks to the real police.

A hacker waiting to steal; photo by Max Bender on Unsplash

An elderly woman called the Adrian Police Department (APD) on Friday, 6 Oct. 2023, asking for help after a scammer had stolen $18,000 with a deception. He threatened to arrest her if she didn't send over her money.

Adrian Police Department Assists Elderly Woman

The second time the scammer called her back spoofing the Adrian Police Department number and identified himself this time as "Officer David Wesson," but the police were able to confront the scammer on the woman's phone. When the scammer threatened to arrest them, the real police told him to come down to the police station and try to arrest them.

The scammer is frustrated that his threats no longer work, so he hangs up.

The APD has warned people not to trust Caller ID (because it can be spoofed) and more importantly, never send cash to anyone who claims to be from a federal agency or a business. The real agencies will never ask you for money.

If an American is scammed by a scammer, you can contact the real FTC for help.

The real FTC website says "The FTC will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a prize. If you have been targeted by a scam, report it at Reportfraud.ftc.gov."

Facebook Marketplace & Google Voice Scam Asking for Code Allows Scammer to Steal Identity

If you use Facebook Marketplace to buy or sell things, you need to be careful of scammers who might try to steal your identity. A TikTok user named Michel Janse (@michel.c.janse) shared her experience of being tricked by a fake buyer who asked her to send a code to prove she was real. But the code was actually a way for the scammer to take over her Google Voice number and use it to create fake accounts.

Woman Scammed with Google Voice to Steal Facebook Profile

Michel Janse explained in a TikTok video that she was selling some furniture and a woman contacted her with an offer. She checked the woman’s profile picture and thought she looked trustworthy. She preferred to sell to women because they seemed less sketchy, however, this story proves that anyone can be a scammer.

Google Voice Scam

Here's how it happened: The woman asked Janse to accept a phone call from Google Voice to verify her identity. Janse agreed and gave her number to the scammer. The scammer went on Facebook and had a code sent to Janse, asking her to tell her the code. Janse complied and gave her the code. This was a big mistake which allowed the scammer to steal her Facebook profile. Janse could sense that something was wrong.

She googled the situation and found out that this is a common scam. The scammer then used the code to claim her Google Voice number and link it to their own phone. They could then make calls and create accounts using her number, which is a form of identity theft. Janse said she was able to get her number back by sending herself another verification code on Google Voice.

Many people commented on Janse’s video and said they knew about this scam. They advised her to never send any codes and to keep communicating with the scammer on Facebook Messenger. They also suggested using a burner phone number or a different app for voice calls. Some people criticized Janse for falling for the scam, but she said she wanted to warn others and prevent them from making the same mistake.

Facebook Marketplace Scams

Facebook Marketplace can be a great place to find deals and sell your stuff, but you have to be smart and cautious when dealing with strangers online. Facebook has some guidelines on how to avoid scams and stay safe on its platform. You should always check the profiles of buyers and sellers, use secure payment methods, meet in public places, and report any suspicious activity. Don’t let scammers ruin your online shopping experience.

Never Give Out Your 2-Factor Authentication Code

Never give out your Google Voice number to strangers or provide an account PIN or 2-factor authentication Code to anyone who is trying to assist you. No technical support person needs a PIN or 2-factor authentication code to access your account.