Erin Hill
Gadsden County News Service
Chattahoochee police reported four arrests stemming from three September traffic stops that resulted in drug-related charges.
The incidents occurred Sept. 5, Sept. 23 and Sept. 26.
The first occurred shortly after midnight Sept. 5, when Chattahoochee Police Lt. Seth Alday reported seeing a white 2006 Nissan pickup traveling south on South Main Street at an estimated 55 mph in a 30 mph zone. Alday’s radar registered the vehicle traveling 57 mph, according to the arrest report.
Alday stopped the truck after it turned onto Angle Street and then Drury Lane. The driver was identified as Christopher Jermaine Dudley, whom Alday said he recognized from previous interactions.
According to the report, Dudley told Alday his driver’s license was suspended. A records check showed the license had been suspended since July 2025 and that Dudley had a previous guilty adjudication for driving with a suspended license.
Officer Rafferty arrived and deployed K-9 Dutch for a free-air sniff around the vehicle. Police said the dog alerted to the odor of illegal narcotics.
Alday reported seeing a glass smoking device partially exposed from a brown paper bag in Dudley’s hand. The officer said the device contained a white residue he believed to be methamphetamine residue.
During a search following Dudley’s arrest, police reported finding a small bag containing approximately 0.5 grams of a crystalline substance in his right watch pocket. The substance field-tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the arrest report. Police said the glass smoking device also field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
Dudley was arrested on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and knowingly driving with a suspended license.
At his first appearance, bond was set at $1,000 on the methamphetamine charge and $500 each on the drug paraphernalia and suspended-license charges.
A second incident occurred Sept. 23 when Alday reported seeing a black Chevrolet Impala and recognizing passenger Tahnea Jean Matula as someone he believed had an active arrest warrant.
A law enforcement database check confirmed Matula had a failure-to-appear warrant out of Gadsden County, according to the arrest report. Alday stopped the vehicle near West River Road and Harrison Street at approximately 9:25 p.m.
After Matula was detained and the warrant was confirmed, Rafferty deployed K-9 Dutch. Police said the dog gave a positive alert for the odor of narcotics.
Alday reported finding a multicolored bag in the passenger seat that Matula said belonged to her. Inside, police reported finding two empty plastic bags and a small plastic bag containing a crystalline substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
Matula was arrested on the outstanding warrant and a felony charge of possession of methamphetamine and transported to the Gadsden County Jail.
At her first appearance Sept. 24, bond on the methamphetamine charge was set at $2,500. The failure-to-appear case was listed as no bond.
Chattahoochee police reported two additional arrests following a Sept. 26 traffic stop.
According to information released by Chattahoochee Police Chief Michael Miller, Nathan Watson was accused of possessing a felony quantity of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. Passenger James Peterson was accused of possessing crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia.
Both men were arrested and taken to the Gadsden County Jail.
Arrest affidavits providing additional details about the Sept. 26 incident were not available as of press time.
The charges are accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.