EAST SPENCER — Five people face drug charges after the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office raided three homes simultaneously Friday to break up what authorities called an “open-air market” for crack cocaine.
Members of the department’s Criminal Investigations Division and Special Response Team served search warrants at 107, 109 and 115 West Pine Tree Drive, the Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.
The searched culminated a month-long investigation sparked by numerous complaints from residents.
“The area had become an open-air market for the purchase of ‘crack’ cocaine,” the press release said.
During the operation, undercover investigators bought cocaine from suspects at the houses, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Friday morning, detectives and Special Response Team members went to the homes and conducted three raids at once.
During a search of the houses, investigators seized about a third of an ounce of crack cocaine, a third of an ounce of marijuana, about $3,000 in cash, and two handguns, one of which had been reported stolen from Salisbury, the press release said.
The following people were charged:
• Samuel Lee Stallings, 48, 109 Pine Tree Drive, charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine; selling and delivering cocaine; maintaining a dwelling to keep, store and sell a controlled substance; and possession of a firearm by a felon. All the charges are felonies. He was jailed under $100,000 bond.
• Damion Jermaine Morrow, 32, 115 W. Pine Tree Drive, charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, maintaining a dwelling to keep, store and sell a controlled substance; and possession of a firearm by a felon; $100,000 bond.
• Stevie Williams, 55, 511 3rd St., Spencer, charged with possession of cocaine, a felony; and misdemeanors possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia; $5,000 bond.
• Candas Michelle Turley, 25, 107 W. Pine Tree Drive; charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia; $1,000 bond.
• Arthur Wilder Jr., 51, 1226 Short St., Salisbury; charged with possession of drug paraphernalia; $500 bond.
• Lonnie Ray Carpenter Jr., 23, 512 E. Hall St.; arrested on outstanding warrants for failure to comply with child support; $1,408 bond.
• Dwayne Means, 18, 203 Andrews St.; arrested on outstanding warrants for breaking, two counts of assault on a female and injury to personal property, all misdemeanors; $3,000 bond.