The Mineral County Sheriff’s Office reported that around 11 p.m. on the evening of December 28, officers pulled over a stolen 2021 Ford U-Haul van near Dotty’s Casino in Hawthorne.
During the stop, the officers confirmed that the vehicle was stolen from Vancouver, Washington, and searched the car. In it, they found approximately 301 grams of methamphetamine, around 16.7 grams of heroin, and close to 100 pills of suspected fentanyl. Along with the illegal drugs, a stolen 9millimeter Glock was seized along with $480 in cash and several stolen identifications from Washington and Oregon.
At the time of the arrest, the two subjects swallowed what is believed to be an unknown amount of fentanyl as the graveyard deputies approached the vehicle, and had to be transported for medical attention.
The subjects in the stolen U-Haul were identified as 37-year-old Kelly Jean Knapp and 43-year-old Benjamin Ryan Halligan who are both from Vancouver, Washington. Halligan was arrested and booked on charges including illegal possession of a gun; possessing controlled substances with the intent to sell and traffic them; and possessing stolen property and identifications for the intent to commit fraud. He also had an outstanding warrant out for his arrest from the State of Washington. His bail is set at $218,640.
Knapp was arrested and booked on similar charges, including illegal possession of a gun; possessing controlled substances with the intent to sell and traffic them; possessing stolen property and identifications for the intent to commit fraud; and obstructing/delaying a public officer. Knapp’s bail was set at $209,780.
Mineral County Sheriff Bill Ferguson says that according to its casebook, there were 20 stolen vehicles in 2022.
