Complaints lead to Granite Quarry drug bust

By Nathan Hardin
nhardin@salisburypost.com
GRANITE QUARRY—A 23-year-old man was charged Wednesday with possession of marijuana after residents posed concerns about drugs.
Charles Wayne Dobson was charged as part of a “saturation patrol,” which was in response to concerns from local residents at Monday night’s town board meeting.
According to the report, an officer noticed Dobson pulling out of his driveway in a gold 2007 Nissan Murano. The officer — who was familiar with Dobson and was aware that he did not have a valid driver’s license — pulled the driver over.
Officers found a marijuana joint in a cigarette pack and a small black box with additional marijuana inside. Dobson then gave police permission to search his home. A vaporizer and scales were found inside the home, the report said.
According to Capt. John Sifford of the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, the patrol was a blanket effort to aggressively search for drug-related activities in the Oak Street area of Granite Quarry.
Sifford said the Aggressive Criminal Enforcement, a unit of the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, teamed with Granite Quarry police in the patrol.
Jean Medinger and Brian Howell, two residents of North Oak Street, raised concerns to the Board of Aldermen at Monday night’s town board meeting.
Sifford said the ACE team would continue to work with Granite Quarry to address the community’s concerns.