STEPHENS COUNTY, Ga. — A Toccoa woman was arrested Sunday evening after Stephens County Sheriff’s Office deputies allegedly discovered approximately 3.5 pounds of suspected marijuana during a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 365.

According to the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, deputies with the agency’s K-9 Unit initiated a traffic stop at approximately 7:56 p.m. on July 19 near the Jeannette Jameson intersection for a traffic violation.

During the stop, K-9 Ria conducted a free-air sniff of the vehicle and alerted to the presence of illegal narcotics, giving deputies probable cause to search the vehicle, authorities said.

Deputies reported finding approximately 3.5 pounds of suspected marijuana packaged in large sealed plastic bags that investigators believe were intended for distribution.

The driver, identified as Amelia Danielle Negrete, 35, of Toccoa, was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Stephens County Detention Center.

Negrete was charged with felony possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, and a traffic violation. Jail records show she was released from the Stephens County Detention Center on Monday, July 20, after posting a $20,000 bond.

The Stephens County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation remains active and ongoing and that additional arrests are possible. Anyone with information regarding the sale or distribution of illegal drugs in Stephens County is encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division Tip Line at (706) 886-7048 or submit a tip through the agency’s mobile app or the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s See Something, Send Something app.