Raid nets thousands in street-ready drugs
By Gary Popp
Published in News on September 27, 2011 1:46 PM
A Dudley couple have been charged with trafficking in marijuana after the Goldsboro/Wayne County Drug Squad seized more than 40 pounds of the drug from their home Sunday.
Dequanta McKinnon, 20, and Jessica Evers, 31, were charged by the Wayne County Sheriff's Office with trafficking and possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana. The search took place their home at 102 Woodland Acres Drive in Dudley.
"We believe they were using the house to rest their heads and as a stash point," said Deputy Sgt. Mike Cox, a member of the drug squad.
Cox said the drug squad has known McKinnon as a mid-level drug distributor and that investigators have had him under surveillance for nearly a month.
"We had received information that he had just went and got a fresh load," Cox said.
Members of the unit were positioned in the woods near the couple's home late Saturday.
"We saw them come in and out of the house and saw them put a trash bag in the back of the (vehicle)," Cox said.
Later that night, investigators said, McKinnon and Ms. Evers left the house in separate vehicles.
With the assistance of the Sheriff's Office A.C.E. Team, both vehicles were pulled over on Pecan Road about 11:45 p.m.
In the SUV driven by Ms. Evers, five pounds of marijuana were found in the bag the squad members had seen placed in the vehicle.
Cox said deputies believe the couple were making a delivery to Court Yard Apartments, also know as The Grand on Day Circle.
A search warrant was then obtained, and the couple's home was searched by the drug squad. Two black duffle bags containing marijuana were discovered and seized. In one of the bags, the marijuana was divided into 20 one-pound zip lock bags. In the other duffle bag the substance was still in block form.
Cox said the seizure was "very significant," as the average raid results in a seizure of only a few pounds of marijuana.
Cox said 45 pounds of marijuana can be separated into 20,000 grams.
"Essentially, we took 20,000 nickel bags of marijuana off the street," Cox said.
McKinnon and Ms. Evers were both been placed in the Wayne County Jail under $50,000 secured bond.