Milltown – The ongoing war-on-drugs by the Graham County Sheriff’s Office chalked up another victory for the good guys Sunday night.
Mark Larry Berryman, 51 of 1061 Meadow Branch Road in Tapoco, was arrested in connection with felony charges of trafficking methamphetamine after a traffic stop near the intersection of Ward Street and Morphew Street.
Deputy David T. Moore received a report of suspicious activity at 96 Milltown Road, stating that a red Chevrolet truck was parked on the roadway with the engine running, while alleged stolen items were being unloaded from the vehicle and being carried into the residence. Once Moore responded and approached the vehicle, it took off and was “traveling well over the speed limit,” according to the incident report.
Moore observed a potential controlled substance being thrown from the passenger window during the pursuit, which was later recovered and believed to be roughly 28 grams of methamphetamine. The truck eventually decelerated and turned onto Morphew Street, where Moore initiated a traffic stop.
After back-up was dispatched, the driver of the vehicle, 24-year-old Bartlett Eugene West of 774 Long Creek Road in Milltown, was arrested for driving with a revoked license. A back-seat passenger, Dylan Lee Stewart, 24 of 237 Dillard Orr Road in Robbinsville, was arrested for three probation violations.
Berryman was the passenger and after the arrest, was taken to the Graham County Jail, where Berryman reported admitted that he had started doing meth again and wanted help. He also stated that the meth had came from Andrews.
“We’re not going to stop,” Graham County Sheriff Joseph Jones said. “We’re not going to quit; we’re going to keep doing what we’re doing. We can’t give up; there’s just too much of it, everywhere. I want to commend the work my department does.”
Berryman then went before District Court Judge Roy Wejiwickrama in the Graham County Courthouse on Monday. He was being held on a $200,000 secured bond, but Assistant District Attorney Caleb Decker agreed to modify that bond and it was unsecured, which allowed Berryman to be released from custody.
Staff Writer Robbi Pounds also contributed to this story.