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PORT ARTHUR — Police officers checking license plates outside a local Walmart turned up two stolen vehicles and arrested a couple on related charges.

One of those arrested was charged almost two weeks prior for a drug crime while in a reportedly stolen vehicle at Raceway in Nederland.

The Walmart incident occurred at the 8585 Memorial Blvd. in Port Arthur March 28, and last week a Jefferson County grand jury indicted John Mason Moss, 22, of Nederland and Faith Marie Harkrider, 30, of Beaumont each for unauthorized use of a vehicle.

According to the affidavit for arrest, a woman had been dropped off at one of the vehicles; a blue Hyundai SUV that was reported stolen from Kountze in Hardin County by her boyfriend.

The woman, later identified as Harkrider, got into the vehicle and was preparing to leave when the officers turned on their emergency lights, the document read.

After dropping Harkrider off, the man, identified as Moss, parked away from the scene and walked over from a white Toyota truck. The truck came back as stolen from Orange.

Harkrider and Moss were arrested for unauthorized use of a vehicle.

Less than two weeks earlier Moss was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, outside Raceway at 3220 FM 365, Nederland. He was indicted last week on this crime, as well.

According to the affidavit for arrest on the drug charge, Moss and Harkrider were allegedly in a stolen gray Honda Civic parked at one of the gas pumps when an officer ran the license plate through a database and found the vehicle had been stolen. The passenger, Harkrider, was inside the vehicle and the driver, Moss, was returning from the store.

The two were questioned and Moss reportedly said there was meth inside the vehicle and a clear bag with the drug was found, according to the affidavit.

The drugs were located in a bag inside the driver door and another bag in a black Lamar backpack.

The affidavit does not mention charges on the stolen vehicle.

Moss was arrested on the drug charge and indicted last week.

An indictment is not a final conviction of guilt; it is only a ruling by the grand jury that allows the district attorney’s office to proceed with a criminal case.

— Written by Mary Meaux