Following almost two months of investigations by several local and federal law enforcement agencies, five people have been arrested and 1.6 pounds of methamphetamine are off the streets.
Michael Price, 42, of Kinston, is charged with traffic in methamphetamine, two counts of felony possession of schedule II controlled substance, possession of a firearm by a felon, two counts of possession with intent to manufacture, sell, distribute a schedule two controlled substance, manufacture schedule II controlled substance and conspiring to traffic methamphetamine.
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He was given a $350,000 secure bond.
Jeremy Pittman, 27, of Kinston, is charged with felony possession of schedule II controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and no operator's license. Pittman was given a $3,000 secured bond.
Corey Warren, 32, of Hobucken is charged with conspire to traffic methamphetamine and was given a $125,000 secured bond.
Daren Tallman, 30, of Cove City, is charged with conspire to traffic methamphetamine and was given a $125,000 secured bond.
Kimberly Gray, 51, of Cove City, is charged with conspire to traffic methamphetamine and was given a $50,000 secured bond.
While conducting a checking station at Potters Hill Road and Mary Tate Road on July 1, deputies with Jones County Sheriff's Office stopped a car allegedly occupied by Pittman and Price, according to a release from the JCSO.
During the stop, deputies seized just over 225 grams of methamphetamine, approximately two grams of fentanyl, $9,000 in U.S. currency and one handgun, according to the release.
The stop led to an investigation by deputies, the F.B.I., Pamlico County Sheriff's Office, Lenoir County Sheriff's Office and Kinston Police Department spanning across eastern North Carolina and to the North Carolina and South Carolina border.
Jones County investigators and the F.B.I. subsequently conducted a search of Price's home where five more guns, one of them allegedly stolen and a large amount of ammunition was seized, according to the release.
Further investigations into Price found he was allegedly coordinating a plan to have associates of his travel out of state to purchase a large quantity of methamphetamine while he was still in jail.
On Aug. 18, with the help of the F.B.I., Pamlico County Sheriff's Office, Lenoir County Sheriff's Office and Kinston Police Department, Jones County Sheriff Matt Wineman, along with the investigative unit of the Jones County Sheriff's Office conducted a near 36-hour operation that resulted in the arrest of three suspects and the seizure and recovery of approximately 500 grams of methamphetamine and one stolen handgun.
"I personally would like to thank everyone that was involved," Wineman said in the release. "The conclusion of this investigation kept 1.6 pounds of methamphetamine off the streets of eastern North Carolina. Investigations such as these require long hours, good working relationships with other agencies and offices, and last but not least, sacrifices from the agents, deputies, and officers involved. Their dedication, sacrifice, and willingness to "Cowboy Up" when the job demands it, make what we do possible."
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