Freetown man faces drug charges

FREETOWN - A 45-year-old Freetown man faces methamphetamine-related drug charges after his arrest during a traffic stop in this small northwestern Jackson County community Saturday evening, police say.

According to a report from Jackson County Officer Adam Nicholson, the arrest of Ronald Francis Pearson occurred after Nicholson said he saw Pearson driving and knew Pearson did not have a driver's license.

Nicholson also said Pearson had a 3-year-old boy in the vehicle who was not restrained in a car seat at the time of the stop on Union Street near the gymnasium at Freetown Elementary School.

Police found eight grams of methamphetamine, a crack pipe and marijuana during the investigation, Nicholson said.

Pearson faces charges of possession of methamphetamine more than 3 grams within 1,000 feet of a school, a Class A felony, possession of marijuana less than 30 grams, a Class D felony, and possession of paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor.

He was being held in the Jackson County Jail in Brownstown this morning on a $100,005 bond.

Jackson County Officer Ben Rudolph and county Detective Rick Blaker Jr. assisted at the scene of the stop, which Nicholson reported at 6:32 p.m. Saturday.