In the early morning hours of July 24th, 2023, Parsons Police Officer Connor Eichinger conducted a traffic stop in the 1500 block of Crawford due to a traffic infraction.

                 During the course of the traffic stop investigation, Officer Devin Wisdom and his highly trained K9 partner, Karim, arrived at the scene. K9 Karim performed an open-air sniff on the vehicle, which subsequently led to a search. The search revealed the presence of substances that field-tested positive for Methamphetamine, along with prescription pills, including Oxycodone and Xanax. Additionally, officers discovered a black handgun, and located items related to the distribution and sale of narcotics and seized close to $6,000.00 in cash.

William Earl Troester Jr., 44 of Parsons, was taken into custody in connection with the illegal narcotics and firearm found during the search. The Parsons Police Department is seeking the following charges from the Labette County Attorney's Office: Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of a Depressant, Possession of a Stimulant, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Distribution), Distribution of a Stimulant, Distribution of Depressants, Distribution of a Controlled Substance, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Criminal Use of a Firearm, and a traffic violation.

Commenting on the incident, Parsons Patrol Lieutenant Kyle Wiford stated, "Traffic stops like this are an essential component of any productive patrol division. The notion of a 'routine traffic stop' is, in reality, a misconception. The truth is that any traffic stop can unexpectedly lead to a felony arrest, a drug bust, a pursuit, or any number of serious criminal offenses. We commend the diligent efforts of our patrol officers in combatting the sale and distribution of illegal narcotics in our city."

The Parsons Police Department remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of the community and will continue to work tirelessly to deter criminal activity.

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@parsonspd.com.

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