A package mailed from California to a Haleyville address was intercepted by law enforcement agencies on Tuesday, March 5. A total of 5 pounds of marijuana was found in a five-gallon bucket packed in a Home Depot box. This discovery followed the previous find during a traffic stop in February of an individual who had been under suspicion. Her vehicle had a box with 3 one-pound bags of marijuana. Another package had over $3,000 in cash.

Postal authorities had previously reported suspicious packages had been arriving at the Haleyville Post Office from California. Investigators waited for a package to be picked up and made a traffic stop in the Rabbittown area and found the metal box in the possession of Shavonna Lynn Zoetewey, 29, formerly of Sheffield and a current resident of 3686 County road 23, Haleyville. Zoetewey was placed in the Winston County Jail and after making the $51,000 bond on her Winston county charges, she was transferred to the Lauderdale County Jail where she faced additional charges.

Warrants for Brandon Charles Benge, of Haleyville have been made in connection with this case. He faces two counts of trafficking marijuana, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and trafficking in a controlled substance.

A search warrant was obtained and the controlled substance found at the residence was fentanyl. No one was home at the time, but authorities also found a 40 caliber handgun and an AK-47 with a loaded magazine. Reports stated children had been living at the residence.

In addition to the U.S. Postal Inspector John Bailey who opened one of the packages in the presence of law enforcement officers, other regional law enforcement agencies were also involved in this case. They were from the Region E Drug Task force which includes Winston, Marion, Walker, Fayette, Franklin, Lawrence and Colbert counties.