Crime Doesn't Pay: Drug Mule CAPTURED by ELSAG Freeway License Plate Readers 😱

ELSAG License Plate Readers (ALPRs) are advanced camera systems manufactured by Leonardo that automatically capture, process, and record vehicle license plates in milliseconds. They collect exact plate numbers, vehicle photos, GPS coordinates, timestamps, and vehicle descriptions, comparing this data in real-time against police "hot lists" or parking permit databases. On July 11th, 2024, I was traveling east on Interstate 40 near the 174-milepost. I observed a black Chevrolet Malibu bearing Florida license plate 44DFJX traveling east in front of me in the right lane. The Malibu made a quick exit onto the 175-exit into Lonoke as if it were trying to avoid me. I followed the vehicle onto the exit, and it turned into the very first gas station. I parked down the road out of sight of the vehicle and began to check a license plate reader called ELSAG to see if there were any plate reads on the vehicle. The vehicle showed to be westbound the day before from the Georgia/Florida state line, traveled to Oklahoma, and was already back eastbound in Arkansas. I noticed another one-day trip from a month ago with about the same timeline as this one. This raised my suspicion that this may be something worth looking into. After only a few minutes of waiting, the Malibu pulled back out of the gas station and onto the interstate traveling eastbound again. I traveled at a reasonable distance behind the vehicle with my cruise control set on 75 miles per hour. I noticed the car gradually gaining distance away from me. I verified the speed on my Stalker DSR2X radar to be 78 m.ph. in a 75 m.p.h. zone. I initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle around 4:31 p.m. near the 179-milepost. As the vehicle came to a stop, I noticed fresh fingerprints on the trunk. I narrated this to my dash camera. As I walked up, I noticed a single male and only one bag in the backseat. I identified the driver as Steven Gonzales. He told me he had the cruise control set at “74 or 76”. He then told me 75 or 76. He told me it was a Turo rental. He showed me the rental agreement and it was rented on July 10th, the day before. He told me he went to visit his girlfriend in Oklahoma. He told me he was trying to open a sushi restaurant. He told me he only came in for the day. He was visibly nervous. He told me he flew into Atlanta and rented the car in Atlanta because he likes flying into Atlanta. I knew this was not true because the car was traveling from Florida the day before. I asked him to stand at my passenger window for my safety while I checked his driver’s license. He was hesitant to get out but finally got out of the vehicle and stood at my window. I advised Trooper First Class K9handler Tanner Middlecoff to start to my location because he was just down the road. He proceeded to tell me after a brief conversation that he wasn’t a “drug runner”. I asked why he didn’t just fly into Oklahoma City. He said he just likes driving. He then told me he hated flying, but he previously told me he liked flying into Atlanta. After speaking with him, I told him to stand at the front of my car. I got out and told him to be honest with me. I asked him how much marijuana was in the car. He said, “How much marijuana? It’s CBD. Delta 8.” He told me it was about 30 pounds. I detained Gonzales. I located inside the trunk a gray suitcase and a green military-style duffle bag both containing vacuum-sealed marijuana. I read him his Miranda Rights. He stated he understood. He admitted he was taking it back to Florida. He told me he comes to pick it up instead of shipping it. He told me he got it from a distribution center in Oklahoma City. I asked him about paperwork, and he told me he didn’t have paperwork on it. He told me he knew he should have paperwork on it. I placed him in my backseat, and he told me he had a gun in the car. The bags were vacuum sealed multiple times with multiple dryer sheets inside the bags as well to disguise the smell. Why place dryer sheets and vacuum seal the bags multiple times if it was legal Delta 8? There was a total of 30 packages located between the suitcase and duffle bag. There were also multiple energy drinks in the trunk. I located a Taurus G2C 9mmhandgun inside the driver’s side door. The serial number was AEE459336. Mr. Gonzales later admitted that it was marijuana and that he was just trying to make some extra money. Phillips Wrecker was called to tow the vehicle.  Gonzales was transported to Lonoke County and booked in on the following charges: Possession of Marijuana with the Purpose to Deliver 25lbs 100lbs- Felony, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia-Felony, Use of Another Person’s Property to Facilitate a Crime-Felony, and Speeding. The evidence was transferred to Central Arkansas Drug Task Force Special Agent for processing and further investigation.