Vernon man arrested on drug and gun charges

A Vernon resident was apprehended on charges related to firearms and narcotics following a traffic stop early this morning.

A deputy from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office conducted the stop on Spoolmill Rd. in Vernon. The driver, identified as 32-year-old Jesse Charles Piechowiak, was approached by the deputy who detected the scent of narcotics emanating from the vehicle.

A department-issued K-9 unit was deployed, signaling the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. Upon searching the vehicle, deputies discovered a firearm, several smoking devices, and a clear plastic bag containing a crystalline substance, which subsequently tested positive for methamphetamine.

Piechowiak has been taken into custody and booked into the Washington County Jail. He faces charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.