Law enforcement officers from the East Central Drug Task Force made two separate arrests related to drug trafficking in Fayette on Thursday, May 27. 

Shortly before 9 a.m. task force members, with assistance from the Fayette Police Department and the Howard County Sheriff’s Office, executed two narcotics search warrants. Steven Edward Woodard and Megan Diane Brand were each arrested without incident.

When police entered Woodard’s residence in the 200 block of South Vine Street, they seized plastic baggies containing a white crystal substance totaling 11.5 grams, which later field-tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine. Also taken were digital scales and glass smoking devices. 

According to a probable cause statement, Woodard admitted to officers to possessing methamphetamine on his person and his residence and provided the locations. He faces one count of Delivery of Controlled Substance Except 35 Grams or Less of Marijuana or Synthetic Cannabinoid, a Class C felony, and one count of Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia - Prior Drug Offense, a Class A misdemeanor.

Woodard was arraigned later on Thursday and remains in the Howard County Jail on a $20,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in Howard County court on Tuesday, June 15 for a bond hearing.

Woodard, 60, has served jail and prison time stemming from prior convictions for drug possession as recently as 2019.

Brand, 43, faces one count of Delivery of Controlled Substance Except 35 Grams or Less of Marijuana or Synthetic Cannabinoid, a Class C felony, one count of Delivery of 35 Grams or Less of Marijuana or Synthetic Cannabinoid, a Class E felony, and one count of Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia - Prior Drug Offense, a Class A misdemeanor. 

According to a probable cause statement, Brand admitted to officers to possessing marijuana in her residence in the 200 block of West Davis Street and provided specific locations. Officers seized plastic baggies containing a white crystal substance, 11 bags of marijuana, a digital scare with white crystal residue, several small empty plastic baggies with white crystal residue, and two glass pipes. The white crystal substance field-tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine, which totaled around 17 grams. The total amount of marijuana seized was approximately 396 grams.

Brand was arraigned on Thursday. She posted a $20,000 surety bond and was released. She is scheduled to appear in Howard County court on Tuesday, June 29 for a preliminary hearing setting.

Brand has a prior conviction for possession of marijuana. In 2004 she pleaded guilty to a felony count of forgery for which she was sentenced to three years in the Department of Corrections. In 2007 she spent 30 days in jail after pleading guilty to driving while her license was suspended due to excessive blood alcohol. She also served two years of probation following a guilty plea to marijuana possession in 2014.