Wichita police nab drug dealer through traffic stop turned DUI investigation

A drug dealer is headed to federal prison after a traffic stop by a Wichita police officer that turned into a DUI investigation.

Larry L. Washington Jr., age 43, was sentenced Wednesday to five years in prison, U.S. District Court records show. He previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

Washington was arrested April 16, 2019, according to the narrative of his plea agreement. That day, WPD officers stopped him for a traffic violation. Police reports suggest he was originally pulled over for violating a traffic control signal at Broadway and Douglas. Officers then suspected he was under the influence.

“During a DUI investigation, the defendant’s vehicle was searched and in the center console of the vehicle a bag with numerous individually wrapped packages of controlled substances were found, along with a Glock, model 19, semi-automatic firearm,” the plea deal states.

Forensic testing determined about 15 packages had about 4.09 grams of cocaine. Another 24 packages were not tested and an unspecified number of packages had no controlled substances.

“The defendant stated at the time that the controlled substances were fake, but he distributed them to others,” court documents report. “The defendant now admits to intentionally possessing the cocaine with the intent to distribute the cocaine in the District of Kansas.”

As part of the plea deal, prosecutors dropped additional charges of being a felon in possession of a gun and possession of a gun in furtherance of drug trafficking.

Jail records show police also suspected Washington was driving under the influence of drugs, driving while suspended, driving without insurance and possessing methamphetamine.

This story was originally published May 16, 2021 at 7:35 PM.