Two face charges after drug bust

Stewart

Lewis

By Jessie Burchette

jburchette@salisburypost.com

CLEVELAND — A couple who had sold drugs to undercover officers called 911 to report being shot at when they sped away from the scene late Monday afternoon.

The fleeing vehicle nearly ran over an undercover officer, Deputy Greg Bacote of the Rowan Sheriff's Office.

Bacote jumped out of the way, pulled his pistol and fired four shots at the car as it sped out of the parking lot at the IGA grocery store on U.S. 70.

No one was hurt. One shot hit a tire.

Sgt. Lane Kepley and two other members of the Special Investigative Unit apprehended the fleeing suspects at the Cleveland Fire Department — after they called 911 to report being shot at.

Officers charged Denisa Stewart, 23, of 135 Rock Point Drive, Cleveland, and Sean Preston Lewis, 23, 2019 Theresa Jill Drive, Charlotte.

Both are being held in the Rowan County Detention Center with bond set at $750,000.

Stewart and Lewis are each charged with three counts of trafficking opium or heroin, conspiracy to traffic opium/heroin; three counts of possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver — 60 tablets of Xanax, Potazapam and 90 tablets of hydrocodone.

Capt. John Sifford of the Rowan County Sheriff's Office said the undercover officer bought 90 hydrocodone pills — an opium derivative.

Stewart got out of the car and brought the pills to the undercover officer's vehicle, exchanging the pills for $315.

She offered other pills for sale, but the officer didn't have the money.

Once she returned to the car, two undercover officers approached the car to make the arrest.

Chief Deputy Kevin Auten was meeting with District Attorney Bill Kenerly today since shots were fired in carrying out the arrest.

Initially, the Sheriff's Office contacted the SBI — a standard procedure when shots are fired. However, since no one was injured, the SBI declined.