Serena Inn arrests came as part of one operation
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on May 19, 2017 12:53 PM
Yelverton
Update ---- The Wayne County Sheriff's Office announces a second arrest at the Serena Inn during an on-foot patrol operation by the Goldsboro/Wayne REACT team.
A Serena Inn resident is facing felony charges after authorities found drugs in his hotel room Thursday and drugs on his person after he was put in jail, according to a press release.
Quanterrian Dontae Yelverton, 35, of 708 Corporate Drive Room 207, is charged with possession with intent to sell or deliver heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia, felony maintaining a dwelling or vehicle and possession of a controlled substance on jail premises.
The release said members of the Goldsboro/Wayne REACT Team were patrolling the hotel on foot when they smelled marijuana emitting from Yelverton's room.
Authorities knocked on Yelverton's door, spoke with him and he allegedly gave officers consent to search the room.
During the search, law enforcement found heroin and multiple items of drug paraphernalia, the release said.
Yelverton was arrested and put in the Wayne County Jail under a $7,500 secured bond.
While he was in custody of the jail, authorities discovered he was in possession of marijauna, according to the release.
He was charged accordingly and given an additional $2,500 secured bond.
Yelverton was one of two Serena Inn residents charged with drug-related offenses Thursday.
Leana Triyanna Cates, 37, of 708 Corporate Drive Room 224, is charged with possession of cocaine, possession of MDMA, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and maintaining a dwelling/vehicle.
During the same operation, deputies said they noticed a strong smell of marijuana coming from room 224, also.
After knocking on the door and speaking with the people inside, the deputies received consent to search the room.
While there, they found cocaine, marijuana and multiple items of drug paraphernalia, according to the release.
Cates arrived at the hotel room in the middle of the search and told deputies everything in the room was hers, the release said.
Effler said anyone in Cates' hotel room could have given consent to search.
"Whoever was in control of the room when they got there," Effler said.
She was put in the Wayne County Jail under a $2,500 secured bond.
Maj. Tom Effler said both people were charged after separate searches, but both were arrested as a result of the same operation in which officers were patrolling on foot throughout the night.
"Most of the time they start right at the edge of dark and go until about one or two o'clock in the morning," Effler said.
The Serena Inn reopened around the turn of the year after it passed it final inspection on Dec. 29, 2016.
It had been shut down for renovations for several months after authorities raided the hotel in August 2016 and executed multiple search warrants.