Shoplifter Arrested For Drug Possession

A call about a shoplifter at Walgreen’s in Newport turned out to be a little bit more. Police were called because a man was in the men’s restroom opening unpaid for merchandise. The man was spotted by police heading to the front door, where he was stopped. As officers attempted to detain him, the man pushed the police officer and took off running through the store. The subject who was identified as 28 year old Riley Webb was finally tased by police. In searching Webb’s pockets, officers found a small black container. As officers attempted to take the container from Webb’s hands, he opened it up and attempted to eat the contents…which were fentanyl and meth. Officers were able to get the drugs out of Webb’s mouth before he could swallow them. He was checked out by EMS and transported to the Cocke County jail for possession of schedule II & III narcotics, reckless endangerment and resisting arrest. While EMS was on scene, they also checked out a customer…she had fainted while all the commotion was going on.