Press release from the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office:
The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office has seized 24.2 pounds of methamphetamine, three firearms, two vehicles, $34,138 in U.S. Currency and arrested nine individuals from a drug trafficking operation based out of the Weaverville area of Buncombe County. During the course of a weeks-long investigation the Sheriff’s Office executed a total of four search warrants on a residence, a motel, vehicles and a storage unit.
“First let me say thank you to Sheriff Griffin for the assistance of HCSO personnel and their narcotics unit who were vital to this investigation,” says Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller. “The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office will continue to work to dismantle high-level drug trafficking operations in our community.”
Starting last month, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office received several community complaints regarding a potential drug trafficking operation in Buncombe County selling large amounts of methamphetamine. Buncombe County Anti-Crime Task Force (BCAT) working with the Sheriff’s Community Enforcement Team (SCET) opened an investigation into the complaints, confirming the community complaints to be valid.
Holly Rose Suttle, Robert Billy Ramos, Joesetta Michelle Plemmons, Jesse Nathan Minter, David James Messer, Ronald Lee Fisher, Anthony Rodriguez, Katie Jo Shook and Troy Jason Rice have now been charged with numerous felony charges related to the operation of a drug trafficking organization.
On June 1st, a search warrant was served at 24 Alcatnie Drive in Weaverville and Detectives with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office seized $18,739 in U.S. currency, 5.1 pounds of methamphetamine, three firearms and various amounts of drug paraphernalia.
On June 7, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office working in conjunction with the Henderson County Narcotics Unit, located where members of the drug trafficking ring were staying. Later that day a traffic stop in Buncombe County resulted in the seizure of nearly a pound of methamphetamine (429 grams) and $5,322 in U.S. currency from those individuals. Subsequently, with the assistance of the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office a search warrant was issued and jointly executed for a motel room in Henderson County where the individuals had been staying and 17.9 pounds of methamphetamine were seized from the motel room.
Holly Rose Suttle of Marshall is being held at the Buncombe County Detention Facility on a $250,000 bond and is charged with:
Conspire to Traffic Methamphetamine
Two Counts of Trafficking in Methamphetamine
Possession with Intent to Sell or Distribute Schedule II Controlled Substance
Possession Drug Paraphernalia
Jesse Nathan Minter of Weaverville is being held at the Buncombe County Detention Facility on a $200,000 bond and is charged with:
Conspire to Traffic Methamphetamine
Two Counts of Trafficking in Methamphetamine
Possession with Intent to Sell or Distribute Schedule II Controlled Substance
Possession Drug Paraphernalia
Maintain a Vehicle Dwelling Place for Sale of a Controlled Substance
Anthony Guillermo Rodriguez of Barnardsville is being held at the Buncombe County Detention Facility on a $200,000 bond and is charged with:
Conspire to Traffic Methamphetamine
Two Counts of Trafficking in Methamphetamine
Possession with Intent to Sell or Distribute Schedule II Controlled Substance
Possession Drug Paraphernalia
Katie Jo Shook of Buncombe County is being held at the Buncombe County Detention Facility on a $200,000 bond and is charged with:
Conspire to Traffic Methamphetamine
Two Counts of Trafficking in Methamphetamine
Two Counts of Possession with Intent to Sell or Distribute Schedule II Controlled Substance
Possession Drug Paraphernalia
Troy Jason Rice of Barnardsville is being held at the Buncombe County Detention Facility on a $15,000 bond and is charged with:
Two Counts of Possession of Methamphetamine
Felony Possession of Schedule II Controlled Substance
Two Counts of Possession Drug Paraphernalia
Felony Possession of Stolen Goods/Property
Felony Larceny
Expired Operators License
Misdemeanor Possession Stolen Goods/Property
Exceeding Safe Speed
Misdemeanor Larceny
Reckless Driving to Endanger
No Operators License
Fictitious Title/Registration Card
Expired Inspection
Drive/Allow MV No Registration
David James Messer of Mars Hills has been charged with:
Two Counts of Trafficking Methamphetamine
Possession with Intent to Sell or Distribute Schedule II Controlled Substance
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Resisting Public Officer
Joesette Michelle Plemmons of Weaverville has been charged with:
Conspire to Traffic Methamphetamine
Trafficking Methamphetamine
Maintain Dwelling for Sale of a Controlled Substance
Ronald Lee Fisher of Weaverville has been charged with:
Conspire to Traffic Methamphetamine
Trafficking Methamphetamine
Maintain Dwelling for Sale of a Controlled Substance
Robert Billy Ramos of Buncombe County is being held at the Buncombe County Detention Facility and is not eligible for bond due to parole violations. He is charged with:
Conspire to Traffic Methamphetamine
Two Counts of Trafficking in Methamphetamine
A special thank you to the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this investigation.
But whatever happened to the felonious tourists who overdosed at the Grove Park Inn several months ago? Why were there no arrests? Where’s that story??