A Lawrenceville man who was wanted in Gwinnett and DeKalb counties for child abandonment and child support obligations was arrested in Johns Creek on Sept. 9 after police found a large amount of drugs in his car.
MeKonnen McKinley, 39, was taken into custody for his warrants in Gwinnett and DeKalb, and also charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, and possession of schedule I and II narcotics.
McKinley’s cousin, Donelle Mims, was driving the vehicle and was wanted for fraud in South Carolina. Mims, 38, of Stone Mountain, was also arrested and charged with possession of schedule I and II narcotics.
In McKinley’s 2007 white GMC Yukon, police found 24.9 grams of marijuana, 198 Xanax bars, 98 MDMA — also known as ecstasy — tablets, 10.3 grams of crystal meth, six THC oil tubes and a scale.
According to a police report, officers pulled over the pair during a traffic stop on Old Alabama Road on Sept. 9 around 7:40 p.m. McKinley was in the passenger seat. Police said that when they approached the vehicle they could smell a strong odor of “fresh raw marijuana.”
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Police said they stopped the Yukon that Mims was driving after checking all cars parked at a nearby gas station for the purpose of vehicle compliance and stolen status. When they ran the registration for the Yukon, it came back as belonging to McKinley and his outstanding arrest warrants were noted.
After both were detained, police searched the vehicle and found the drugs. Both men were taken to a Fulton County jail without incident. Mims was released on Sept. 13 and McKinley was released a day later.
Mims and McKinley are due in court for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 26.
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