A traffic stop late last week led to a man facing several drug charges and traffic citations.
According to a press release on the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, a patrol deputy conducted a traffic stop in East Rockingham on Thursday, Dec. 14 for a vehicle with “a revoked license plate.”
Inside the vehicle was reportedly a small child not restrained in a car seat.
The deputy also reportedly smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle, which prompted a search.
While searching the vehicle, deputies reportedly found 6.3 grams of fentanyl and 0.3 grams of marijuana, in addition to “paraphernalia used to induce and package illegal narcotics.”
The driver, 28-year-old Alexander Fitzgerald Blyther, was arrested and charged with one felony count each of trafficking in opium or heroin and possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a Schedule II controlled substance, as well as one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Blyther was also cited for driving while license revoked, failure to secure a passenger under 16, having no liability insurance, and having a canceled, revoked or suspended tag.
As of 3 p.m. Monday, Dec. 18, Blyther was still being held in the Richmond County Jail on a $250,000 secured bond. He is scheduled to appear in court Jan. 8, 2024 on the drug charges and Jan. 18 on the traffic citations.
Online court records show Blyther also has the following pending charges from 2022: possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a Schedule II controlled substance; maintaining a vehicle, dwelling or place for a controlled substance; possession of drug paraphernalia; and a misdemeanor probation violation.
His next court date for those charges is also Jan. 8.
Records with the N.C. Department of Adult Correction appear to have incorrect information for Blyther.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
