Christy Lofty
Tallulah – An early-morning traffic stop Aug. 10 solidified the efforts of a 7-month narcotics investigation by the Graham County Sheriff’s Office.
A patrol officer pulled over a vehicle being operated by 36-year-old Christy Lee Lofty around the 900 block of Tallulah Road. Lofty had been under surveillance by detectives for months due to suspicions of illegal drug activity. In a Monday press release, the sheriff’s office confirmed that Lofty was a “large-scale source and trafficker of methamphetamine” and had been investigated by the office, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement and the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation.
Officials found evidence to back up their claim during the Aug. 10 stop – and then some.
Narcotics K-9 Sam was dispatched to the scene and with narcotics detective Matt Cox in tow, conducted an open-air sniff and soon identified the odor of a controlled substance. Soon, 1,010 grams (2.22 pounds) of crystal methamphetamine was recovered – and confirmed as the substance, thanks to a TruNarc (narcotics analyzer), which was utilized on the spot.
Lofty was arrested and charged with trafficking methamphetamine by possession, over 400 grams; trafficking methamphetamine by transportation, over 400 grams; and felony maintaining a vehicle for controlled substances. Her bond was set at $1 million.
The sheriff’s office confirmed in its release that the meth seizure was the single-largest in county history – and that the investigation is not over.
“This investigation is a prime example of the relentless efforts our office is putting into combatting the drug epidemic that is devastating our community,” Graham County Sheriff Brad Hoxit said in the release. “We are committed to taking down those who profit from the suffering of others and this bust sends a clear message that we will not tolerate drug trafficking in our county.”