ROCKINGHAM — A man with an outstanding warrant was allegedly caught with cocaine and a gun following a traffic stop late last week.
A patrol deputy with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office on Friday, March 11 initiated a traffic stop on U.S. 74 after recognizing the driver, 28-year-old Damon Devante-Daequa Thomas, who had outstanding warrants for breaking and entering and injury to real property, according to a press release issued Monday.
When the deputy approached Thomas’ vehicle, he reportedly smelled marijuana and Thomas allegedly admitted to smoking it in the truck.
Thomas was then reportedly asked to step out of the truck where he was placed under arrest for the outstanding warrant.
The deputy searched the truck and reportedly found a concealed 9mm handgun, as well as a container of what appeared to be powder cocaine, marinuana and unspecified paraphernalia.
In addition to the outstanding warrant, Thomas was charged with felony possession of cocaine, and one misdemeanor count each of carrying a concealed gun, simple possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Thomas was booked into the Richmond County Jail under a $17,000 secured bond and records show he appears to have been released.
Online records show Thomas is scheduled to appear in court on the drug charges March 31. His court date on the outstanding charges is slated for April 11. Thomas also has a pending charge of driving with a revoked license in Lee County.
Records with the N.C. Department of Public Safety Division of Adult Correction show Thomas has no prior convictions in the state.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
