Home Crime RCSO: Fentanyl found following car-turned-foot chase in Rockingham

RCSO: Fentanyl found following car-turned-foot chase in Rockingham

ROCKINGHAM — Richmond County deputies recovered 16 grams of fentanyl following a vehicle-turned-foot chase over the weekend.

According to the sheriff’s office, investigators with the Community Impact Team attempted to conduct a traffic stop around 11:20 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10 — but the driver refused, leading deputies on a chase until the driver crashed into a tree on Pickett Street.

The driver, 23-year-old Elijah Jacob Stanford of Hamlet, then reportedly fled on foot, with deputies in pursuit.

Stanford was caught after being chased through a wooded area, but not before allegedly throwing a black bag.

Inside the bag, investigators reportedly recovered 13 grams of the synthetic opioid fentanyl and “items used to package narcotics.” They also reportedly found another bag on the ground by the driver’s-side door containing 3 grams of fentanyl and an unspecified number of baggies of marijuana inside the car.

Stanford was arrested and charged with one felony count each of: trafficking in opium or heroin; possession of a Schedule II controlled substance; possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver marijuana; fleeing to elude arrest with a motor vehicle; and maintaining a vehicle, dwelling or place for a controlled substance.

He is also charged with one misdemeanor count of possession of up to a half-ounce of marijuana, possession of marijuana paraphernalia and possession of drug paraphernalia.

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Stanford was booked into the Richmond County Jail under a $206,000 secured bond, however he did not appear as a detainee at 5:30 p.m. Monday. He is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 22.

Online court records show Stanford is facing another charge of fleeing to elude arrest in district court and a felony out-of-county probation violation in superior court.

Court records show Stanford also has been charged with injury to personal property and cited for the following traffic violations: speeding; two counts of driving with a revoked license; failure to wear a seatbelt as a driver; failure to maintain lane control; failing to yield at a stop sign or flashing red light; and a window tint violation.

According to records with the N.C. Department of Public Safety Division of Adult Correction, Stanford was convicted in 2017 of possessing stolen goods and harboring an escapee.

The following year, he was convicted of misdemeanor larceny and felony credit card theft.

This past February, Stanford was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon in Columbus County.

All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.



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