A Gaston man faces multiple drug trafficking charges after a traffic stop led Northampton County deputies to seize nearly 200 grams of cocaine, oxycodone, a handgun and cash, according to the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office.
On Aug. 26, Capt. W. Phelps and Sgt. J. Velez conducted a traffic stop on a silver Infiniti sedan in the 100 block of Pleasant Hill Road in Gaston. Deputies said the vehicle was known to be driven by 36-year-old Jayquan Termaine Cotton, of Gaston, who had an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
Cotton was identified as the driver during the stop.
According to the sheriff’s office, Velez deployed K9 Trigger to conduct an open-air sniff around the vehicle. Authorities said the K9 alerted to the odor of narcotics, and deputies subsequently conducted a probable cause search.
During the search, deputies reported finding and seizing 180.5 grams of powder cocaine, 14.5 grams of crack cocaine and 15.8 grams of oxycodone.
Deputies also seized a digital scale with white residue, a handgun, four cellphones and $923 in cash, according to the sheriff’s office.
Cotton was served with an outstanding warrant charging him with felony possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine. The sheriff’s office said the charge resulted from a three-month investigation led by Phelps and Velez. Phelps obtained the warrant Aug. 11.
Cotton received a $10,000 secured bond on that charge.
As a result of the Aug. 26 traffic stop and search, Velez additionally charged Cotton with two counts of felony trafficking in cocaine, felony possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine, felony trafficking in opium or heroin, felony maintaining a vehicle, dwelling or place for controlled substances, and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
Cotton received a $50,000 secured bond on those charges. He was given a previously scheduled Aug. 27 court date in Northampton County.
Northampton County Sheriff Jack Smith commended Phelps and Velez for their work in narcotics investigations and said the sheriff’s office will continue working to reduce access to illegal drugs.
Smith said illegal drug activity can contribute to overdoses, addiction, violence, theft and other crimes and emphasized the importance of protecting young people and other members of the community from dangerous drugs.
Cotton is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
