Noise complaint leads to charges

A party at a Commerce apartment that got out of hand resulted in four people being charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana, according to the Commerce Police Department, although all four suspects denied ownership of the drugs and drug paraphernalia found at the scene.

Those arrested were:

Erica Lynn Page, 18, 5233 Crossing Place, Commerce; Ethan Ryan Hall, 19, 1584 Bold Springs Road, Commerce; Russell Wilson Callahan, 19, 4301 Hwy. 15, Carnesville; and Tarious Dontrelis Varnum, 19, 97 Kensington Court, Commerce.

Two police officers went to the apartment unit of Page after an anonymous complaint about people in the upstairs unit stomping on the floor and causing a disturbance.

According to the arrest report, Page answered the door, whereupon police immediately noted the smell of marijuana and asked Page if there was any of the illegal substance in the apartment. The arrest report said she lowered her head, replied affirmatively and gave the officers consent to enter, whereupon the officers reported observing marijuana scattered around the apartment. When asked about the drugs, each of the four people in the apartment adamantly insisted it was not theirs, the report noted.

Further investigation turned up a small safe, which contained two sets of scales, a container of brake cleaning fluid and more marijuana, the report said. Out on the balcony, the officers found more marijuana and a tobacco grinder.

All of the occupants of the apartment claimed the materials did not belong to them, and Page told the officers there were two other guests in the apartment, but she did not know where they were. The officers did not find any additional suspects.