Patrols near Green Acres and Tabor City turned up four firearms and multiple illegal drugs Friday in two separate cases.
Deputies on patrol in the Green Acres community saw a Chrysler automobile fail to stop at a stop sign, and activated their lights, a report said. Marcus Shawn Lowery, 45, of Fairmont was operating the vehicle, and told deputies he did not have a license, but did have state identification.
When Lowery was asked if deputies could search the car, Lowery said there was nothing illegal inside, the report said, the said there was a handgun between the seats. The search turned up a Taurus .22 handgun and a defaced prescription bottle with 6.35 grams of oxycodone. The report said Lowery told deputies the drugs were his.
A records check showed that Lowery is a convicted felon, and ineligible to possess a firearm. He was charged with two counts of trafficking in opiates and one of possession of a firearm by a felon, and held under $100,000 secured bond.
In an unrelated stop, three other men, also from Fairmont, were arrested a short time later near Tabor City.
Timothy Lee Grissett, 40 was charged with altering or removing a serial number of a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, and possession of a firearm by a felon. His bond was set at $15,000.
Trysten Pickett, 18, was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a stolen firearm. He was held under $5,000 secured bond.
Caleb Stephens, 22, was held on charges of possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine and marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $7,500.
The report shows that deputies seized a .22 revolver, A Ruger LCP handgun and am SCCY handgun, along with 18.6 grams of marijuana, 1.09 grams of crack, a scale and baggies for packaging drugs for sale.
