PRESS RELEASE: FRANKLIN COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE JULY 8, 2019

​On July 7, 2019 at about 2:02 a.m. deputies observed a vehicle with its lights on behind the Wayside Liquor store located at in Villa Ridge. The deputies, knowing the store was closed at that hour, stopped to check on the vehicle. When the deputies approached, they found two people, a male and a female, standing outside of the vehicle which was running and had the front doors standing open. Upon contact, a deputy saw suspected drug paraphernalia in plain view inside the vehicle. The deputies gathered identifying information from the male and female and checked them for warrants. It was learned the male, identified as Anthony Richard Mathena, age 24 from Pacific, had active arrest warrants for ordinance violations out of Union PD and Arnold PD. Upon searching the vehicle, deputies located capsules containing suspected controlled substance, a needle containing suspected controlled substance, and other paraphernalia for suspected controlled substance. Along with the drug items deputies located a credit card and a shopping card that was not issued to either of the subjects and an Apple brand watch in its original packaging. During the investigation it was learned the watch was stolen from Wal-Mart in Eureka. Both Mathena and the female were arrested for possession of the drug items and transported to the Franklin County Adult Detention Facility. Mathena was also booked and held on his active warrants. During the booking process the female confessed she had provided the deputies with a false identification. She then gave them her true identity, which was Kelly Marie Brown, age 26 from Union. She had an active failure to appear warrant for ordinance violations out of Desloge PD.
 
All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
 
Steve Pelton
Franklin County Sheriff