The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

Local News

March 4, 2008

Children were there during raid

$20,000 in cash found in addition to cocaine

Sherry Brunson

Two children, a one-year-old and an infant, were in the Macclesfield mobile home when Edgecombe County Sheriff's deputies and the State Bureau of Investigation burst in during a well-planned drug raid Friday afternoon.

Four men and a woman were arrested on drug-related charges in what Sheriff James Knight called "the biggest cocaine bust we have every had in Edgecombe County."

Officers said they found a bulk of cocaine hidden in the babies' toys, along with a press used to press the cocaine into kilogram bricks. Cutting agent residue was found all over the surfaces of the children's toys and a small bed in the playroom.

The babies' grandfather, who lives elsewhere, was present. The children were released into the custody of the grandfather, who was unidentified.

Officers found more than 5.5 kilos (12.1 pounds) of cocaine, three ounces of crack cocaine and one ounce of crystal methamphetamine in the mobile home.

Cocaine also was found behind a false wall in the master bedroom closet and in a kitchen microwave.

"We recounted the money confiscated at the Maccles-field drug bust and it turned out to be more than $20,000, instead of the $10,000 we had originally mentioned," said Capt. Allen Mosely of the Sheriff's Office.

An AK-47 assault rifle, a sawed-off semi-automatic shotgun and a pistol were confiscated.

Knight said the organization supplied cocaine and other controlled substances to Edge-combe, Wilson, Nash and Pitt counties.

"We had busted the place before about 10 to 12 months ago," Knight said. "The female had a record for drug-related charges."

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the production of methamphetamines can endanger the lives of the drug manufacturers, neighbors and the environment. Physical contact with the substance can be potentially deadly.

Donna Lou Carter, 29, was charged with four counts of trafficking cocaine, maintaining a dwelling for the selling of controlled substances, manufacturing cocaine, possession with intent to sell/deliver, trafficking methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, three counts of selling/delivering cocaine, selling/delivering methamphetamines and conspiracy to traffic methamphetamines.

Jaime Abazan, 27, was been charged with four counts of trafficking in cocaine, maintaining a dwelling for selling controlled substances, manufacturing cocaine, possession with intent to sell/deliver trafficking methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, three counts of sell/deliver cocaine, sell/deliver methamphetamine and conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine.

Margarito Majia Hernandez, 34, was charged with trafficking in cocaine, manufacturing cocaine and possession with intent to sell/deliver cocaine.

Carter, Abazan and Hernandez were each listed as living at the Otter Creek Church Road address.

Victor Santivanez Pelayo, 22, of 36 Tuskeegee St., Wilson, was charged with trafficking cocaine, manufacturing cocaine and possession with intent to sell/deliver cocaine.

Carlos Andorano, 25, of 117 County Estates of Battleboro community, was charged with trafficking in cocaine, manufacturing cocaine and possession with intent to sell/deliver cocaine.

All five suspects are being held at the Edgecombe County Detention Center, on $2 million bond each.

"The fact that the various law enforcement agencies worked together played a significant part in the drug bust," Knight said. "We couldn't have done it without their partnership."

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