Jamestown, CA…From the Tuolumne Sheriff’s Office…Yesterday evening, an alert Deputy Sheriff on patrol in Jamestown noticed a man, later identified as 50-year-old Paul Thomas Smith, trying to suspiciously conceal his rear license plate with his body while pumping gas at a Jamestown gas station. The deputy checked the front license plate and discovered the vehicle’s registration was suspended and expired.

The deputy made contact with Smith and spoke to him about the vehicle’s suspended status. During the conversation, the deputy conducted a pat search of Smith, checking for any weapons. During that pat search, Smith admitted to having narcotics on his person. The deputy located both marijuana and methamphetamine in Smith’s pocket.

The deputy saw a woman, identified as 46-year-old Thalia Ann Gunkel, was a passenger sitting in the vehicle. Gunkel was found to be on active probation out of Stanislaus County for drug possession. A subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered more marijuana as well as several baggies full of psylisiben mushrooms also known as psychedelic mushrooms or “magic mushrooms” in the rear seat of the vehicle. Other items associated with packaging and sales of narcotics were found in the backseat inside a backpack.

Smith told the deputy he found the baggies of mushrooms on the side of the road after they had been thrown out of a vehicle that was driving in front of him on Chicken Ranch Rd earlier in the day. He later admitted to knowing what they were and that he was keeping the mushrooms with the intent to sell them.

Smith was arrested for possession of controlled substances for sales, transporting controlled substances, possession of over 1 oz. of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Gunkel was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance.

Both Smith and Gunkel were transported to the county jail without incident.