INTERSTATE 390: Sheriff Thomas J. Dougherty reports the
arrest of a Perry resident after a civilian traffic complaint on Interstate
390. On April 13, 2017 Deputy Shawn Whitford, who is detailed to the Sheriff’s
Office initiative Operation Safe Interstate, was dispatched to check on a car
that was reportedly driving all over the road.
The Deputy Sheriff located the vehicle and stopped the vehicle for a
traffic law violation. As the Deputy approached the vehicle and requested his
license, the operator allegedly had a foil wrapper fall out of the driver's
wallet. It is further alleged that the Deputy Sheriff questioned what the foil
wrapper was and then the operator opened the foil and exposed a Suboxone
strip. The operator then put the strip
in his mouth and ate the evidence.
Suboxone is a controlled substance and requires a prescription to
possess. The driver, 35 year old Kenneth
J. Shearing Jr. of Perry, was taken into custody and charged with the felony of
Tampering with Physical Evidence. Shearing
was turned over to Central Booking Deputies at the Livingston County Jail for
processing and pre-arraignment detention. The District Attorney's Office
provided a bail recommendation of $1,500 cash or $3,000 bond. Shearing was later arraigned in the Town of
Lima Court on the charges before Justice Luhowy. The Judge did remand Shearing to the custody
of the Sheriff on $1,500 cash or $3,000 bond.
