2 charged after troopers find drugs in vehicle with 2 juveniles in Marion County

FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WBOY) — Two people have been charged after troopers allegedly found drugs, including presumed fentanyl, in a vehicle that had two juveniles inside in Marion County.

On Nov. 11, troopers with the Marion County detachment of the West Virginia State Police were conducting a patrol on Kingmont Road when they observed a vehicle bearing an "improper Pennsylvania registration," according to a criminal complaint.

Troopers then performed a traffic stop, and when they ran the registration, they said that it returned as belonging to a different vehicle.

Inside the vehicle were Albert Tichenor and Ashley Nuzum, both 36 and of Fairmont, as well as two juveniles. Dispatch informed troopers that Tichenor had a suspended/revoked operator's permit due to two previous DUI convictions, according to the complaint.

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For that reason, Tichenor was placed into custody, and a search of his person resulted in troopers locating "a black container containing drug foil and syringes." A K9 unit was then deployed to perform a free air sniff of the area of the vehicle, the complaint said.

When the K9 gave a positive indication for the presence of narcotics, a search of the vehicle was performed, resulting in troopers finding a green container under the passenger seat with drug paraphernalia and a foil containing a substance that field-tested positive for fentanyl, according to the complaint.

Troopers also said they located drug paraphernalia in the back seat of the vehicle where the two juveniles had been seated.

Tichenor and Nuzum have been charged with child neglect and are being held in North Central Regional Jail.