Fentanyl is the main drug in recent raid, 20 arrests

First published at 16:33

Monday, 23 September 2024

The Wilkes Record

The most recent drug raid in Wilkes County, which resulted in 20 arrests, mainly resulted in fentanyl being seized.

Craig Dancy, captain of the Wilkes Sheriff's Office Narcotics Unit, said that over the past two months, drug investigations have resulted in the seizure of 1,070 grams of the often deadly drug.

In one case, Piedmont Triad International Airport police assisted Wilkes officers in intercepting a package containing two kilos of fentanyl that was being sent to a residence in Thurmond.

This led to the arrest of 29-year-old Oswaldo Jesus Andrade Rodriquez, who was charged with fentanyl trafficking to the highest degree, Dancy said The Wilkes Record during an interview on Monday afternoon.

“It also turned out that his supplier also supplied dealers in Yadkin and Surry counties,” Dancy added.

“As long as the border is open, there will be fentanyl,” Wilkes Sheriff Chis Shew said Monday in an interview with The Wilkes Record“It's coming from China and crossing the border into Mexico. It's created the most dangerous environment law enforcement has ever seen. When you stop a motorist, you don't know who you're stopping or what they have. But we're going to continue to arrest them. If you control the border, you're going to reduce the amount of drugs coming in here.”

Dancy added, “Fentanyl is more prevalent in Wilkes than usual. This time, it's better than meth. And meth is still plentiful.”

The sums from the recent drug raid, Dancy said, amounted to

1,070 grams of fentanyl with a street value of $53,000;

104 grams of methamphetamine (meth) with a street value of $2,000;

57 grams of cocaine with a street value of $2,400;

21 grams of heroin with a street value of $1,200;

24 pills $750

The investigation also found the drug xylazine (a legal horse tranquilizer that is sometimes mixed with fentanyl). “This is the first time we've seen it here,” Dancy said.

The Wilkes County Sheriff's Department was assisted by the following agencies: Piedmont Triad International Airport Police, NC Probation, Yadkin County Sheriff's Office and NC Highway Patrol.

Among those also arrested are:

Christopher Scott Bauguess Jr., 38, Purlear, two counts of sale of meth, two counts of sale and delivery of meth, possession of a weapon by a felon and maintaining a dwelling for the sale of drugs.

Amanda Kathryn Wayne, 37, Purlear, one count of sale of meth, one count of sale and delivery of meth, one count of conspiracy to sell meth with Bauguess

Pamala Kaye Bullis, 54, North Wilkesboro, one count of possession with intent to sell and deliver meth, one count of possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana.

Benjamin Phoenix Branciforte, 24, North Wilkesboro, one count of possession of Schedule IV pills (Xanax).

Betty Taylor Childress, 65, Thurmond, two counts of trafficking heroin, one count of possession of heroin with intent to sell and deliver.

Kevin Winston Jordan, 30, Roaring River, possession of heroin.

Tommy Lee Rhodes Jr., 54, of Roaring River, possession of meth and pills.

Robert Weston Fisher, 43, North Wilkesboro, possession of meth with intent to sell and possession of a vehicle for the purpose of selling meth.

April Millicent Pearl, 42, North Wilkesboro, possession of meth and maintaining a dwelling for the storage and sale of meth.

Floyd Edward Nance, 49, Wilkesboro, possession of meth with intent to sell and deliver and possession of a vehicle for storage of controlled substances.

Danny Keith Jones, 48, Wilkesboro, possession of meth with intent to sell, possession of a firearm by a felon, conspiracy to sell meth with Larry Scott Campbell and Casandra Lee Dennis.

Scott Campbell, 62, Wilkesboro, conspired with Danny Jones to sell meth

Cansandra Lee Dennis, 40, North Wilkesboro, two counts of trafficking in meth, possession with intent to sell and deliver meth and conspiracy to sell and deliver meth with Danny Jones.

Floyd Martin Combs, 37, Millers Creek, one count of possession with intent to sell and deliver meth.

Anthony Scott Leach, 42, North Wilkesboro (who is now back in prison for violating federal probation after being arrested for possession of cocaine with intent to sell and deliver), possession of a vehicle to sell drugs, failure to obey blue lights and siren, attempted destruction of evidence and conspiracy to sell cocaine with Lawrence Andre Graham. He was on probation for drug violations at the time of his arrest, Dancy said.

Lawrence Andre Graham (charged along with Leach with obstructing and delaying the work of a police officer, Dancy said), possession of cocaine with intent to sell and deliver, and conspiracy to sell cocaine with Leach.

Stephanie Goforth, 62, of Ronda, sells meth, possesses meth with intent to sell and deliver, maintains a residence for drug distribution.

Brittany Michelle Roberts, 32, North Wilkesboro, possession of meth.

China Kanique Wellington, 42, North Wilkesboro, trafficking heroin, trafficking fentanyl, possession with intent to sell and deliver fentanyl, possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine. The fentanyl in her alleged possession is believed to have been mixed with the horse tranquilizer, Dancy said.

Some of the other drugs that were seized.