Grafton Man Arrested After Deputies Find Meth In Peanut Butter Jar

Jose Alfredo Sanchez Jr. faces a Class A felony count of possession with intent to deliver meth that is 50 grams or more, as well as a Class B felony count of possession of a controlled substance in a correctional facility and a Class C felony count of possession of drug supplies.

A Grand Forks County Sheriff’s deputy stopped Sanchez for speeding in a construction zone. Sanchez told the deputy he was going back to Grafton after he spent a week in Laredo, Texas. The deputy noted Sanchez appeared unusually energetic for someone who had been on the road since the day before, and that he and his passenger gave conflicting accounts of when the trip began. A K9 was requested.

Sanchez allowed his vehicle to be searched. During the search, the deputy found a jar of peanut butter in a cooler in the back seat. Although the seal on the jar appeared intact, the deputy noticed peanut butter on the rim, and opened it. Inside, a black object was sticking out of the peanut butter. The deputy removed it and found it was wrapped in electrical tape. When cut open, it contained a white crystalline substance that field-tested positive for meth.

The vehicle was then towed to the Grand Forks Narcotics Task Force office for a more thorough search. Agents found six caulking tubes in a Walmart bag. When they squeezed the tubes, four felt like they contained something hard inside. Agents removed four packages, similar to the one found in the peanut butter jar, and all tested positive for methamphetamine. The total weight of all meth seized was approximately 512 grams.

Sanchez was also found to have meth and a glass smoking device he hid after he was booked into the correctional facility. He removed the items and handed them to jail staff.

The case was investigated by the Grand Forks Narcotics Task Force.