Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir said this week was a “bad week for meth dealers” after the sheriff’s office took a suspected methamphetamine dealer into custody on Saturday morning. It was the third such arrest of the week.

At about 7 a.m. on Aug. 3, Sheriff’s Office deputies and detectives conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of 10th Street and Kiowa Road at the east city limits of Great Bend. They pulled over a 1999 Oldsmobile Alero driven by Kevin “Adam” Pekarek, 37, of Hutchinson.

“During the course of the traffic stop, officers discovered a quantity of methamphetamine. It is believed the drugs were en route to Great Bend for distribution,” Bellendir said.

Pekarek was transported to the Barton County jail where he was booked on two counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. One of those counts stems from an earlier investigation. He is being held in the county jail in lieu of a $100,000 bond on each count.

“Distribution of methamphetamine and its use remains the single most serious issue facing the Sheriff’s Office,” Bellendir said. “We remain committed to curb its use in our county. The Sheriff’s Office will continue its proactive investigations.”