By Staff
Four of those arrested each face from 18 to 23 years in prison
By CLAUD HODGES
Newsroom Manager
An employee of a local pharmaceutical plant sits in the Beaufort County Detention Center under a $1 million secured bond.
Adam Fletcher Mason, 36, a resident of 108 Canterbury Road in Washington, was arrested Nov. 16 by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit.
Mason was charged with multiple counts of trafficking in opium, possession of amphetamines and possession of drug paraphernalia.
His arrest stemmed from sheriff’s office investigators conducting surveillance and making street purchases of powder amphetamines and powder oxycodone reported to be stolen from the pharmaceutical plant.
Mason turned out to be that top man, Davenport said.
Davenport said the plant has cooperated with the sheriff’s office in the investigation, which took more than a year to complete.
Ten days before Mason was arrested, three others involved in the drug network were arrested by the sheriff’s office. These three were very close to the top of the network, Davenport said.
On Nov. 6, Dwayne Asby, 38, and Tonya Asby, 33, residents of 25 Strawberry Lane in Washington, and George Howard Elliott II, 23, a resident of 2804 Woodstock Road in Belhaven, were arrested, Davenport said.
Each was charged with multiple counts of trafficking in amphetamines. Each is being held in the Beaufort County Detention Center under a $200,000 secured bond.
Also arrested in the operation was Michelle Brooks Woolard, 39, a resident of 409 College Avenue in Washington.
She was charged on Oct. 31 with possession of amphetamines and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was held in the Beaufort County Detention Center under a $5,000 secured bond.
Investigators executed search warrants at 108 Canterbury Road in Washington and 25 Strawberry Lane in Washington. They recovered about 168 grams of powder oxycodone, 3 grams of amphetamines and digital scales.
The powder is sold on the street in paper bindles or plastic bags and, typically, less than a gram is sold in the individual units for about $10 per unit.
Mason was allegedly stealing the powder from the pharmaceutical plant where he was working, Davenport said. He said investigators do not know how Mason was taking it from the plant.
In addition to Davenport, other members of the sheriff’s office drug unit that worked the case include Capt. Tim McLawhorn and investigators Kent Hill, Daniel Linton, David Richards and Jim Vanlandingham.
Beaufort County Sheriff Alan Jordan said this case is another example of the effectiveness of the drug unit.
He said the effects of this case in stopping the illegal flow of these dangerous drugs in powder-form will positively impact many lives in the county.