Two men make initial appearance in drug case

WORTHINGTON - Jeffrey R. Chantharath, 27, and Khamphone Thammalong, 26, both of Worthington, appeared in Nobles County District Court Tuesday for Rule 8 hearings.
The pair are both charged with fifth degree possession of drugs, a felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a petty misdemeanor.
According to court documents, two Buffalo Ridge Drug Task Force agents observed Thammalong approach a parked vehicle on Milton Avenue. Officers were aware that Thammalong had been previously arrested in June for fleeing in a motor vehicle while driving the same vehicle he was approaching. After that arrest, Thammalong had tested positive for methamphetamine.
Officers observed the vehicle traveling east onto Clary Street when the driver failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Clary Street and First Avenue. The officers also noted the window tint on the vehicle was too dark. The vehicle was stopped in the Cenex parking lot.
As officers approached the passenger side of the vehicle, the passenger was identified as Chantharath, whom the officers recognized from prior police contacts. His hands were allegedly shaking. Both men were asked to exit the vehicle.
A K-9 unit’s search of the vehicle indicated the presence of a controlled substance. During the officer’s search of the vehicle, the officer retrieved a glass pipe with white residue, a black magnetic key case with a small amount of crystalline substance and zip- style baggies. Both the case and pipe tested positive for methamphetamine.
Additionally, the officers found a Whizzinator, a product intended to fraudulently defeat drug tests. During his arrest, Chanthatrath said he was scheduled to give a urine sample to probation within the next two hours and denied using an illegal substance. A urine sample collected from Chantharath after being booked into the jail tested positive for methamphetamine.
Chantharath was previously convicted of fourth degree controlled substance crime in April 2010 from a June 2009 occurrence. Thammalong has been previously convicted on fifth-degree assault, third-degree riot and drug possession.
Both Chantharath and Thammalong requested contested omnibus hearings in their respective cases. Thammalong’s attorney says he is contesting the search of the vehicle. Both men are currently out of jail on bond.