A stolen vehicle reported out of New Boston was recovered Friday evening after Chillicothe police located it at a gas station on East Main Street.
According to the Chillicothe Police Department, officers were dispatched after receiving information that a stolen 2002 Toyota had entered the city from Charleston Pike. Officer Nate Crabtree located a vehicle matching the description parked at a gas pump in the 1100 block of East Main Street. Dispatch confirmed the license plate matched the stolen vehicle before officers initiated contact.
Police identified the driver as Marvin Joseph Puckett, 62. According to the report, Puckett told officers he had obtained the vehicle that day and claimed there was a title inside, but officers were unable to locate proof of ownership.
A passenger, Charles Nickell, was also removed from the vehicle after officers observed him allegedly making movements inside the car. During the investigation, officers reported finding multiple items of suspected drug paraphernalia throughout the vehicle, including burnt foil, syringes, digital scales with residue, glass pipes, and other items commonly associated with drug use.
Puckett was charged with:
- Receiving Stolen Property (F5)
- Illegal Use or Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (M4)
Nickell was booked into the Ross County Jail on an outstanding Scioto County warrant and was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, according to the report.
The stolen Toyota was inventoried and towed while police coordinated with the New Boston Police Department and notified the registered owner that the vehicle had been recovered.
As with all criminal cases, the charges are allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
