West Earl Twp, Pa – Dakota Kaufman (26 YOA) of Myerstown was arrested and charged with drug and weapons violations after being arrested on a warrant.
On July 19, 2022, at approximately 12:47 AM, West Earl Township police were dispatched to the Sheetz to assist in locating a vehicle that had been seen acting suspicious in Lititz. The vehicle, a Red 2004 BMW, was sighted by Ephrata PD who followed it to the Sheetz in Brownstown. It was also reported that the registered owner, Dakota Kauffman, had a warrant for his arrest. Officers Mitchell Rogers and Jeremy Sorensen arrived at the scene and located Dakota Kauffman in the bathroom where he was placed under arrest for the warrant. Once outside the Sheetz, officers on scene observed a large quantity of Crystal Methamphetamine in plain view inside Kauffman's vehicle. Dakota Kauffman gave officers consent to seize the drugs and 21 pills of Alprazolam were recovered in the same container. The vehicle was impounded in order for the officers to obtain a search warrant for the vehicle. Kauffman was transported to West Earl Police Department where he was processed. He was then transported to the Lancaster County Prison on the warrant. The methamphetamine seized was 12.6 grams.
On July 20th Officer Mitchell Rogers applied to the court and received a search warrant for Dakota Kauffman’s BMW. During the search officers recovered an additional 1.2 ounces of crystal methamphetamine, approximately one-half pound of marijuana, packaging materials, digital scales, hypodermic needles, a loaded 12-gauge shotgun, a switchblade knife, and a pill believed to be MDMA. Officer Rogers then applied to the court and received an arrest warrant for Dakota Kauffman charging him with 1 count of person not to possess a firearm, 1 count of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, 1 count of possession with intent to deliver marijuana, 1 count of possession of a prohibited weapon (switchblade knife), 1 count of person not to possess a firearm, 1 count of possession of marijuana, 1 count of possession of methamphetamine, and 1 count of possession of alprazolam.
On Thursday July 21st Dakota Kauffman was arrested at the West Earl Police Department while attempting to get his vehicle out of impound. Kauffman admitted to Detective Byrnes that he was in possession of additional drugs in the vehicle he had driven to the police department. Detective Byrnes recovered an additional two ounces of crystal methamphetamine, a small quantity of suspected heroin, and packaging materials used for distribution from his 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix. Kauffman was further processed and transported to the Lancaster County Prison.
The public and media are reminded that all criminal charges are merely accusations, and all subjects are innocent until proven guilty.
