ROCKINGHAM — A Scotland County man is facing drugs and weapon charges after being stopped at a local checkpoint.
According to a press release posted Oct. 3 on the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, deputies with the Traffic Safety Unit were conducting a checking station on Sept. 28 at the corner of Peggy Mill and Old Laurinburg roads, just east of Hamlet, when 31-year-old Erik Lamont Monroe pulled up.
Monroe reportedly admitted to deputies that his license was revoked.
Deputies could also smell “a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle,” according to the release.
Monroe, of Wagram, was reportedly asked to step out of the vehicle. He reportedly told deputies that there was “a small amount of marijuana” in the ashtray.
While searching the vehicle, deputies reportedly found pot, an unspecified quantity of cocaine in a pill bottle, two sets of digital scales, and a handgun of unspecified caliber.
Records with the N.C. Department of Adult Correction show Monore has previous felony convictions in two counties.
Monroe was arrested and charged with: possession of a firearm by a felon; possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a Schedule II controlled substance; and possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver marijuana. He was also cited for driving with a revoked license.
He was booked into the Richmond County Jail on a $10,000 secured bond and, as of Oct. 5, appeared to have been released.
Monroe is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 12 on the criminal charges.
Online court records show Monroe has the following pending charges in Richmond County: felony possession of cocaine; possession of methamphetamine; felony possession of marijuana; possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver marijuana; three counts of misdemeanor possession of marijuana; maintaining a vehicle, dwelling or place for a controlled substance; two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia; possession of marijuana paraphernalia; and carrying a concealed gun.
Records also show citations of driving while license revoked in Richmond and Moore counties. (Note: Neither seem to match up with the aforementioned citation.)
Monroe was first convicted in June 2012 of simple assault in Scotland County, and three months later of maintaining any place for a controlled substance in Cumberland County. (Note: The latter charge is usually a felony but is listed as a misdemeanor.)
In 2019, Monroe was convicted in Guilford County of possession of a Schedule I controlled substance and given probation. It appears his sentence was amended the following year to include a second count of the same charge when his probation was revoked.
Monroe was convicted in Richmond County in 2020 of attempted trafficking of a Schedule I controlled substance and possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance.
He was in prison from March 2, 2020-July 27, 2021.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
