The Reporter newspaper, Camdenton Missouri

The Reporter covers Miller, Morgan and Camden County in Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks and is published once per week on Wednesdays.

Published February 14, 2024

Camden County Sheriff's Office says drugs, gun, body armor found in stop

CAMDEN COUNTY – A traffic stop ended in the arrest of two people but police say more than drugs were found in their vehicle.

Last week the Camden County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) released information on an arrest that took place on Saturday, February 3.

At 2:47 a.m. that day, a Camden County sheriff’s deputy from the County Wide Patrol District conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle near South State Highway 5 and Mount Horeb Road. According to the Probable Cause Statement (PCS) the vehicle was stopped due to the license plate not being illuminated.

The deputy identified the driver by his state issued non-driver identification as Joseph P. Riggs, 45, of Springfield.

While speaking with Riggs the deputy confirmed he had multiple active warrants and placed him into custody.

The deputy then identified the passenger of the vehicle as Yuriy V Lyashuk, 26, from Half Way, MO, and allegedly observed multiple items of drug paraphernalia in plain view inside the vehicle.

Lyashuk was also placed into custody.

The PCS stated the deputy found the following items in the vehicle:

29 pieces of aluminum foil with burnt residue. Located on the driver’s seat, the center console and the passenger side glove box.
Multiple plastic straws with burnt melted ends.
4.5 grams of a white powdery substance which appears to be fentanyl will be sent to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Lab for testing. Located in the brown wallet of Yuriy.
Slightly less than 1 gram of a white substance that tested positive for Cocaine, utilizing a Nartec drug tester. Located on the driver’s seat.
2 grams of a crystal-like substance which tested positive for methamphetamine using a Nartec field tester. Located in the center console.
22 capsules in various colors, equaling up to approximately 6.5 grams, containing a white powdery substance which appears to be fentanyl will be sent to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Lab for testing. Located in the brown wallet, the driver’s seat and the center console.
Multiple clear bags containing residue which were not tested. Located in the brown wallet of Yuriy.
A glass bong with white residue inside the bulb of the device which tested positive for methamphetamine using a Nartec field tester. Located on the driver's seat.
A Smith & Wesson 8D40 .40 cal handgun located underneath the center console.
14 rounds of .40 cal ammunition
13 rounds of 9mm ammunition
3 cell phones

“It should also be noted that two sets of steal body armor, night vision binoculars and a box for a small drone were located inside the vehicle,” the PCS stated.

Riggs was transported to the Camden County Adult Detention Facility where he is being held on his active warrants and is charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance (felony).

He is being held without bond.

Lyashuk was also transported to the Camden County Adult Detention Facility and is also charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance (felony). He was being held on a $150,000 bond which posted last Wednesday.

The CCSO reminds people that these charges are merely allegations of wrongdoing. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.