Pikeville man, 38, charged with drug crimes
By John Joyce
Published in News on July 31, 2014 1:46 PM
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Danny Lee Wells
A Pikeville man under investigation for more than a year by the Goldsboro/Wayne County Interagency Drug Task Force and the DEA is in the Wayne County Jail today under a $1.5 million secured bond.
Danny Lee Wells, 38, of 4611 U.S. 117 North, is charged with five counts of trafficking cocaine in amounts between 28 and 200 grams.
Additional charges include possession with intent to sell and deliver a controlled substance, maintaining a dwelling for the sale of a controlled substance, and eight counts of possession of a firearm by a felon.
Despite the arrest, Wayne County Sheriff Larry Pierce said it will take a concerted effort to rid the county of illegal drugs. As soon as you take one dealer off the street, another takes his place, he said.
"It's like dipping your hand in a bucket of water," Pierce said.
Members of the DEA High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the Goldsboro/Wayne County Drug Squad recorded eight purchases of cocaine from Wells during the course of their investigation. An ounce of cocaine was purchased at a time, all of which has been sent to the state laboratory for testing, a narcotics officer said.
As a result of the investigation, a search warrant was obtained for Wells' home, which agents and deputies executed Wednesday.
Eight weapons were seized, including four rifles, a .45 caliber revolver and a .25 caliber pistol.
Approximately 75 grams of powdered cocaine with a street value of $26,000 and over a half pound of marijuana were also seized, as was $6,367 in cash.
The state Department of Revenue Drug Tax Division confiscated $15,000 in cash.
Additional charges are pending, but no further arrests are expected from this particular investigation.
And Pierce, despite his earlier comments about the willingness of drug dealers to take up were those who get arrested leave off, said he was proud of the work the drug squad has been doing.