Drug Trafficking Charges for Elderly NC Woman

An elderly North Carolina woman is in jail after being charged with drug trafficking. The 71-year-old woman was arrested this week after police say she was caught participating in the sale of hundreds of prescription pills. The drug charges against the woman include two counts of drug trafficking and possession with the intent to sell and deliver drugs.

The woman was at the center of the police drug trafficking investigation. Her 43-year-old and 49-year-old daughters were also arrested for their connections to the drug trafficking case.

The mother allegedly would have people providing her with large amounts of prescription drugs. According to Sgt. John Stearns of the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, she would then turn around and sell these drugs at higher prices in order to make a profit. While Stearns said she was not a “major” dealer, he said that she was selling more prescription pills than an average pill dealer.

She is accused of selling the anxiety medication Xanax and pain pills that included opium. As a result of the opiates, she is facing two counts of drug trafficking.

The woman’s arrest has shocked many of her neighbors in the Kings Mountain community. While many might be surprised that an older woman would be accused of drug trafficking, Stearns says that the arrest does not surprise him. He said that elderly individuals often look for ways to supplement their income, especially in the current economic climate.

Family members of the woman and her daughters said they are good people and denied the accusations.

Source: News14.com “Elderly woman arrested on drug trafficking charges in Cleveland Co.” 10/7/10