Pair arrested on drug charges

Published 9:37 am Thursday, January 18, 2018

A man and woman are facing marijuana trafficking charges after police allegedly found them in a hotel room with drugs and guns.

Jim E. Gilbert, 30, of Baxter, and Kerrynton Asher, 18, of Harlan, were arrested by Harlan City Police Officer Derrick Noe on Wednesday.

According to Noe, HPD received a call from the Comfort Inn stating there were people in a room who failed to check out.

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“They knocked on the door several times to see if they were still in the room,” Noe said. “After knocking several times they proceeded to enter the room, at which time they saw the subjects in bed. They could see the male subject was breathing, but the way the female was laying they couldn’t tell if she was breathing or not. They saw a quantity of suspected drugs and paraphernalia around the room, at which time they contacted the police.”

Noe said he and Harlan City Police Officer George Young responded to the call.

“We went up to the room and the hotel staff again knocked on the door several times,” Noe said. “They opened the door and announced themselves as maid service. At that point, the odor of marijuana could be smelled coming from the room, and that gave us probable cause to enter.”

Noe said when police entered the room, both Gilbert and Asher were found lying in bed.

“We saw a green leafy substance suspected to be marijuana on the night stand,” Noe said. “Also on the night stand on the female’s side of the bed was a purple 9 mm firearm. On the male’s side of the bed, we noticed a black semi-automatic handgun.”

Noe said police secured the weapons and proceeded to wake up Gilbert and Asher.

“At that point, they were placed in handcuffs,” Noe said. “We found a large amount of cash and three separate baggies containing green plant-like material believed to be marijuana. There was also suspected marijuana in two separate places lying out.”

Noe said multiple pills were also located.

Gilbert was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and trafficking in marijuana.

Asher was charged with trafficking in marijuana.

Both were lodged in the Harlan County Detention Center.

Additional charges are pending.