Two ounces of black tar heroin was just some of the drugs confiscated in a bust in Cherokee on Thursday. (CIPD photos)
In the early morning hours of Thursday, Nov. 7, the Swain County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee Indian Police, BIA and DEA Drug Enforcement Unit arrested three individuals from the Charlotte area for drug trafficking and related charges. These arrests were made at the intersection of 441 Bypass and Whitewater Drive near Hungry Bear.
Approximately 2 oz. of black tar heroin, 1 oz. of methamphetamines, four grams of crack cocaine and five grams of marijuana were confiscated in connection with the arrests. The drugs have an estimated street value of $9,200.
Cesar Alejandro Gomez, Olevia Leonard Cook and Timothy Carreon Foster were charged with the following:
Gomez, Cesar Alejandro
– Possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver Scheduled II Controlled Substance
– Possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver Cocaine (two counts)
– Simple possession of Schedule VI
– Possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver Heroin (two counts)
– Conspire to traffic Heroin (two counts)
– Trafficking in Opium or Heroin (two counts)
– Trafficking in Methamphetamine (two counts)
– Conspire to traffic Methamphetamine
Cook, Olevia Leonard
– No operator’s license
– Possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver Cocaine
– Conspire to deliver Heroin
– Conspire to deliver Methamphetamine
– Trafficking in Methamphetamine (two counts)
– Possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver Scheduled II Controlled Substance
– Trafficking in Opium or Heroin (two counts)
– Possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver Heroin
– Maintain vehicle or dwelling
Foster, Timothy Carreon
– Possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver Cocaine
– Conspire to deliver Heroin
– Conspire to deliver Methamphetamine
– Trafficking in Opium or Heroin (two counts)
– Simple possession of Schedule VI
– Possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver Heroin
All three suspects are being held in the Swain County Detention Center on $100,000.00 secured bonds.
Cherokee Chief of Police Ben Reed stated, “This is another great drug investigation and arrests for our community. As you can see by the amount of drugs that were seized, these guys are not your typical dope “users”. These guys brought a large amount of drugs to sell in our community. I hear a lot about the police should be going after the “big dealers” and not the users. The way I see it is that anyone that chooses to sell, deliver, manufacture, or use drugs, is part of our nations drug problem. It’s the choices that we all make, and we all have the option to say no. We all need the Lord in our life to give us the strength and love to make the right decisions. We will continue to work with the Swain Co. Sheriff Dept., BIA, DEA, and all of our law enforcement partners to utilize all available resources so we can be aggressive in the enforcement of our drug laws.”
Swain County Sheriff Curtis Cochran added, “I want to thank all of the officers involved in these arrests. It is because of their dedication to make a difference in the drug trade that these types of operations are successful. I would also like to reaffirm the commitment I made to Swain County when I was elected Sheriff that I would do everything in my power to fight drugs with the resource available to us. This is a fight that we continue today and will do so as long as I am in this Office.”
– CIPD
