ROCKINGHAM — Deputies reportedly found narcotics on a man with outstanding warrants in another county — and is on probation.
According to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy patrolling East Rockingham saw 31-year-old Michael Aaron West walking down Ninth Avenue.
The deputy reportedly knew West was wanted and confirmed with dispatch that West had an order for arrest for failing to appear in an Anson County court.
Online court records show West is charged there with obtaining property by false pretenses, uttering a forged instrument and possession of a counterfeit instrument.
The deputy reportedly got out of his patrol car to speak with West and arrest him. While being patted down, West reportedly told the deputy he had “loaded rigs.”
The deputy reportedly found a syringe and bag of cocaine in West’s pocket and a syringe in the defendant’s backpack.
In addition to the FTA, West was charged with felony possession of cocaine. He was booked into the Richmond County Jail on a combined $25,000 secured bond and was still being held Tuesday afternoon.
West is scheduled to appear in court April 27 on the cocaine charge. Court records show West has a May 4 date on a charge of possession of heroin. His court date for the Anson County charges is May 22.
Records show West also has a pending misdemeanor larceny charge in Moore County.
West is currently serving a 12-month suspended sentence after being convicted in January of misdemeanor larceny, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting a public officer, according to the N.C. Department of Adult Correction.
Records show West was released from prison Sept. 28, 2022 on a nine-month post-release revocation after serving only a month for a 2021 conviction of attempted common law robbery.
West was also convicted of felony larceny and breaking and entering in 2021.
His first conviction was in 2011 for misdemeanor breaking and entering and wasn’t convicted again until 2019 for misdemeanor larceny and giving a false report to police radio.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
