ROCKINGHAM — Two men and a woman are facing meth charges following a traffic stop by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
Patrol deputies were reportedly helping investigators track down a suspect vehicle from a theft in Marston on Friday when Deputies R. Smith and N. Pope found it and conducted a traffic stop, according to the sheriff’s office.
The deputies searched the vehicle and reportedly found 13.8 grams of suspected methamphetamine, three firearms, other unspecified narcotics and drug paraphernalia.
The occupants were arrested, charged and booked into the Richmond County Jail.
Deputies charged 27-year-old William Russell Morgan and 27-year-old Stephaine Smith Fucci of Sandy Drive and 24-year-old Derek Allen Locklear of Marks Creek Church Road — in the Hamlet area — each with one count of: possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a Schedule II controlled substance; carrying a concealed gun; simple possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance; simple possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance; and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Morgan was also charged with a count of maintaining a vehicle, dwelling or place for a controlled substance and is being held under a $30,000 secured bond. Jail records show Smith is being held under a $20,000 secured bond and Locklear under a $15,000 secured bond.
All three are scheduled to appear in court Jan. 6, 2022.
(Note: Jail and court records have Fucci listed as Stephanie Wade Smith.)
Online court records show Morgan has the following pending charges: three counts of possession of a Schedule I controlled substance; two counts of simple possession of a Schedule II controlled substance; one count each of felony possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a Schedule II controlled substance, simple possession of a Schedule III controlled substance possession of drug paraphernalia, carrying a concealed gun and resisting a public officer.
Fucci (or Smith) also has pending charges, including one count each of: possession of methamphetamine; possession of a controlled substance on prison or jail premises; and resisting a public officer.
Russell was convicted in 2017 on two counts of misdemeanor breaking and entering and one count of misdemeanor larceny in Scotland County, according to records with the N.C. Department of Public Safety Division of Adult Correction.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
