ROCKINGHAM — A Richmond County man is accused of trafficking marijuana through mail following a multi-agency investigation.
According to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, investigators recovered more than 14 pounds of marijuana and “numerous items used for packaging illegal narcotics” at the home of 39-year-old Eric Christopher Pekuri on Wednesday.
Pekuri is charged with one felony count each of trafficking marijuana, possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver marijuana, and maintaining a vehicle, dwelling or place for a controlled substance.
Investigators also charged Pekuri with one misdemeanor count each of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a Schedule II controlled substance.
Pekuri was booked into the Richmond County Jail under a $25,000 secured bond. However, he did not appear in jail records early Friday afternoon.
According to the sheriff’s office, the investigation began when an officer with Fayetteville Police Department Interdiction Unit identified a “suspicious” package coming through the mail hub that was bound for a Richmond County address. A K-9 reportedly alerted on the package “as being positive for illegal narcotics.”
Investigators in Fayetteville reportedly obtained a search warrant and opened the package which contained 14 pounds of cannabis.
The Fayetteville investigator reportedly contacted the Community Impact Team on Aug. 24 and brought the package to the RCSO, according to a press release. Local investigators then applied for and were granted a search warrant.
An undercover officer reportedly made the delivery to the intended address. Pekuri allegedly came out, signed for the package and took it back inside.
The RCSO CIT and Special Response Team — with help from the Rockingham Police Department Vice/Narcotics Unit and agents with the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation — then executed the search warrant, the release states.
Pekuri is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 8.
Records show Pekuri has no other pending charges or previous convictions in North Carolina.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
