Tatum Man Arrested on Drug Charges

TATUM — A Tatum man was arrested on drug charges Monday night after officials say they found methamphetamine and prescription pain pills. According to Rusk County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Viki Penny, Mark Russell Stewart, 37, was arrested at about 9:30 Monday night near the intersection of County Road 2132 and Farm Road 1716 near Tatum. Penny said the sheriff’s deputy noticed a pickup truck in the parking lot of an oil lease on CR 2132, which he thought was suspicious for the area. After stopping the vehicle, the deputy smelled an alcoholic beverage on Stewart’s breath and requested that he exit the vehicle because there was a rifle in the vehicle with him. During a search of Stewart, deputies found 10 pain pills and 3.3 grams of suspected methamphetamine. A small amount of marijuana was found as well. Stewart remained jailed Tuesday on bonds totaling $12,500, charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance.