Shinnston woman charged after deputies find drugs, open alcohol within reach of children in vehicle

GRAFTON, W.Va. (WBOY) — A woman has been charged after deputies found marijuana, mushrooms and open alcohol containers within reach of three children in a vehicle in Taylor County.

On May 5, deputies with the Taylor County Sheriff’s Department were conducting a routine patrol in the area of West Main Street in Grafton when they smelled “the strong odor of marijuana” coming from a vehicle parked on Yates Avenue, according to a criminal complaint.

Deputies said they spoke with the vehicle’s occupants—one of whom was identified as Malissa Sampson, 32, of Shinnston—and learned that the vehicle’s driver had “smoked marijuana inside of the vehicle at Tygart’s Lake State Park.” Deputies noted that there were three juveniles in the vehicle at the time of the stop.

A search was then performed which resulted in deputies locating 15.26 grams of marijuana, bags of “marijuana shake,” rolling papers and a “marijuana grinder,” the complaint said.

Deputies also noted that an empty “Mike’s Hard peach beverage” bottle sat in the center console of the vehicle as well as a foam cup that contained a Mike’s Hard beverage. A tea bottle containing a Mike’s Hard beverage was also found on the floor of the vehicle, deputies said.

Deputies also said they found several other items in a purse in the back seat of the vehicle including:

• 5.08 grams of psilocybin mushrooms
• 36.87 grams of THC gummies
• 4.20 grams of marijuana
• Three bags containing a total of 4.79 grams of crack rock cocaine
• A THC chocolate bar weighing 9.38 grams
• A set of scales

Inside the purse, deputies also located Sampson’s identification and wallet and noted that “all the substances and also open alcohol containers were within arms’ reach of the juveniles inside of the vehicle,” the complaint said.

Sampson has been charged with three counts of child neglect. She is being held in Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $33,300 bond.

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