Investigators raid two homes, seize drugs, weapons

Published 12:18 pm Thursday, September 26, 2019

By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Detectives with the Salisbury Police Department and Rowan County Sheriff’s Office raided two homes and seized a number of guns and marijuana. Two men face felony weapons and drug charges.

Salisbury police charged Dennis James Wilks, 64, of the 200 block of Lloyd Street, with felony possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a controlled substance Schedule VI; felony maintaining a dwelling for trafficking in controlled substances; and felony possession of a firearm by a felon.

Wilks remains in the Rowan County Detention Center under a $50,000 secured bond.

Aron Alexander Hatchett, 21, of the 100 block of Elm Street, was charged with five counts of felony maintaining a dwelling for trafficking in controlled substance; four counts of felony manufacturing a controlled substance Schedule II; three counts of felony possession of a controlled substance; two counts of felony possession with intent to manufacture a controlled substance Schedule I; and felony trafficking in cocaine.

Hatchett remains in the county jail under a $350,000 secured bond.

Police said they seized six handguns and one shotgun from the Lloyd Street home as well as 30 dosages of Tramadol, $4,300 in cash, 6.2 pounds of marijuana and other drug paraphernalia.

One of the guns had been reported stolen. The marijuana was found vacuum-sealed bags in a 5-gallon bucket.

Salisbury Police and Rowan investigators seized this marijuana from a Salisbury home this week during which both agencies conducted a raid on two homes at the same time. Shavonne Walker/Salisbury Post

At the Elm Street apartment, authorities confiscated 8.8 grams of powder cocaine, 3.3 grams of crack cocaine, $6,227 in cash and a handgun.

The arrests came at the conclusion of several months of investigation by the Police Department’s drug unit. Police said they received assistance from the Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigation Unit and Special Response Team.

For the month of September, the Police Department has seized 24 firearms, eight of them in this case alone.