Benton man arrested for drugs following welfare check

A welfare check ends with a major drug arrest in Marshall County.

The Marshall County Sheriff's Office said they received a request for a welfare check at a home in the Palma community. This check resulted in a search warrant being issued for the home that led into a large drug investigation.

Deputies said the end result was the arrest of 40-year-old Austin Johnson of Benton. Johnson was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance, trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school, possession of marijuana, possession of a legend drug and possession of drug paraphernalia. 

Johnson was previously charged in a collision investigation earlier this month in which he was allegedly in possession of illegal drugs. In that case, Johnson was charged with DUI, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.