STEP Enforcement Leads to Drug Arrest in Parsons
For Immediate Release
Date: August 19, 2025
Contact: Lieutenant Jason Ludwig
Phone: (620) 421-7060
Email: jludwig@parsonspdks.gov
On the evening of August 17, 2025, a routine traffic enforcement effort under the Special Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP), "You Drink, You Drive, You Lose", led Parsons Police officers to uncover illegal drugs and remove a potential drug dealer from the community.
At approximately 8:18 p.m., Officer Tyller White observed a red GMC Sierra commit a traffic violation before striking a power box and a mailbox near the intersection of North 26th Street and Northern Boulevard. The driver, later identified as Justin Cooper, initially claimed that a medical issue caused him to lose control of the vehicle. Upon further investigation, however, inconsistencies in his statements prompted officers to expand their inquiry.
Sergeant Christian Smith and his K9 partner Morgan assisted at the scene and conducted an open-air sniff around Cooper's vehicle which led to a search. Illegal substances, including marijuana, methamphetamine and prescription pills, were recovered, all which appeared to be package for distribution. Cooper admitted to recent drug use and was taken into custody without further incident. He was processed at the Parsons Police Department before being transported for a blood draw at Labette Health as part of a DUI investigation.
Lieutenant Kyle Wiford, who oversees STEP enforcement operations, commended the work of the officers "The STEP program is not just about enforcing traffic laws or preventing impaired driving crashes. It also gives us opportunities to identify dangerous criminal activity that might otherwise go unnoticed. In this case, a simple "routine" traffic stop, as some may call it, took drugs and a potential dealer off our streets, making Parsons a safer place for everyone."
Cooper was identified as a registered violent and drug offender stemming from a conviction on a 2010 voluntary manslaughter and manufacturing of methamphetamine case. He was again convicted in April 2024 for distribution of narcotics. In this new arrest the Parsons Police Department is seeking charges for Driving under the Influence, failure to maintain Insurance, Possession of Narcotics, Marijuana, a Controlled substance and Paraphernalia. Along with Distribution of a Controlled Substance.
Chief Robert Spinks added that proactive enforcement remains a cornerstone of the department's mission "Our officers are trained to look beyond the traffic stop. Every vehicle stop has the potential to uncover much larger issues. This case demonstrates how important partnerships like STEP are in addressing both roadway safety and drug crime. Again, we have a career criminal that has repeatedly been a burden on society and fails to reform his behavior in any meaningful way. It is time for the court to look to other avenues."
The Parsons Police Department will continue to participate in STEP operations throughout the year, with the dual goals of reducing impaired driving and holding offenders accountable who bring drugs into the community.
This continues to be an on-going investigation, and citizens are encouraged to "See It, Hear It, Report It." All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If anyone has any further information on this incident or any other criminal activity, please contact the Parsons Police Department at 421-7060 or call the Tip Line at 421-7057 or email at tips@parsonspdks.gov.
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