BEDFORD — A Bloomington man is facing multiple felony charges after a Bedford Police officer discovered a significant cache of marijuana and hash oil during a traffic stop Saturday afternoon.
Jasper Levi Chastain, 42, was arrested on January 31, 2026, on preliminary charges of dealing marijuana and dealing hash oil, enhanced to higher-level felonies due to a prior dealing conviction and the weight of the seized substances.
The incident began around 3:22 p.m. when Officer Joshua Turner, observing traffic near 25th Street and Mitchell Road, noticed a white Mercedes driven by Chastain. According to the probable cause affidavit, Chastain appeared to react nervously to the patrol vehicle and made an immediate, “evasive” turn into a restaurant parking lot.
Officer Turner conducted a registration check, which revealed that the owner’s driving status had been suspended previously. After a brief search for the vehicle, the officer located it on 26th Street and initiated a traffic stop near Washington Avenue.
Upon approaching the Mercedes, Officer Turner reported a strong odor of raw marijuana. Although Chastain claimed the smell was from a previous owner and denied consent to search, the officer informed him that the odor provided probable cause for a vehicle search.
The search uncovered several controlled substances hidden throughout the car. In the center console, police found an unlabeled prescription pill bottle containing 40 grams of a “wax-like” substance (hash oil). In the trunk, police found a white trash bag containing a large Zip-Lock bag with 122 grams of marijuana and 50 THC cartridges, each containing 2 grams of hash oil, totaling 100 grams.
Following his arrest, Chastain reportedly told investigators that the substances were legal “Delta-8 THC.” However, field tests performed at the Bedford Police Department showed a presumptive positive result for THC.
Officers also seized $957 in cash from Chastain’s wallet. Police noted that the combination of the large quantity of drugs and the significant amount of currency suggested the items were intended for distribution rather than personal use.
Due to Chastain’s criminal history, the charges have been elevated as follows: dealing marijuana and hash oil with weights exceeding 30 grams and 5 grams, respectively, and having a prior conviction.
Chastain was transported to the Lawrence County Jail, while his vehicle was left at the scene to be retrieved by an authorized party.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the probable cause affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
