Raleigh Family Held on Meth Charges

A 47-year-old father and his two teenage sons were arrested last week on drug charges. Joseph Dennis Rambo, and his sons, Zechariah Rashad Rambo, 19, and Elijah Khalid Rambo, 17, were arrested at their home in East Raleigh and charged with one count each of conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine. The father also faces additional charges of one count of maintaining a dwelling place for keeping and selling meth and one count of manufacturing meth.

The family members are facing charges that involve the alleged trafficking of 400 or more grams of meth. This crime produces North Carolina’s harshest penalties for trafficking the drug.

The arrests took place after police intercepted two packages containing meth at a Raleigh Ship on Site store. Police had become concerned about activity in the Rambos’ home after six suspicious parcels were seized from the Raleigh shipping store. The packages bore a return address that was registered to Zechariah Rambo in Midlothian, Virginia.

The police forwarded four of the parcels to postal inspectors, but opened the two remaining parcels and discovered meth. A Virginia post official informed police that mail to the Midlothian address was being forwarded to the Rambos’ house in East Raleigh. The house was staked out and police observed Zechariah Rambo entering and leaving the property in a car with Virginia plates.

The Rambos’ house was searched by police inspectors and a K-9 unit. Upon the discovery of hazardous chemicals, a drug expert wearing protective gloves and a respirator was brought in to complete the investigation. The search produced substances that tested positive for meth, as well as yet unidentified liquids, powders, crystals and plants.

The Raleigh police spokesman stated that there was not a traditional meth lab in the residence. He said there was nothing hazardous about the house and it does not present a danger to the neighborhood.

At their first court appearance last week, bail for Joseph and Elijah Rambo was set at $1 million; their father’s bail was set at $3 million.

Resource: NewsObserver.com “3 men in family held on meth charges” 7/31/10