LEWISBURG, W.Va. (WVDN) – Two people were arrested on drug charges Tuesday after police say they recovered fentanyl during an investigation that began in the parking lot of a local tobacco store.
According to a criminal complaint filed by the Lewisburg Police Department, who is assigned to the Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the arrests stemmed from a tip that Emily Carter and Justin Carter were selling fentanyl out of a room at the Hampton Inn.
The officer wrote that he stopped at the Tobacco Outlet on North Jefferson Street on June 10 when he saw the Carters hand a pair of rolled-up jeans to another man. The officer said he recognized the Carters from prior information provided by a confidential informant, who had told police the pair was dealing fentanyl from their hotel room.
Police said that when questioned, the other man handed over a pink container of marijuana and admitted he had bought drugs from the Carters. When officers confronted Emily and Justin Carter inside the store, they allegedly admitted selling drugs and turned over a small bag of fentanyl.
According to the complaint, Emily Carter resisted when officers attempted to seize cash she had in her pocket, leading to a brief struggle in the parking lot. Additional officers arrived to help take both suspects into custody.
After their arrest, Emily Carter allegedly told investigators there was more fentanyl in their hotel room, along with scales and packaging materials. Police obtained a search warrant for the room, where they said they found a large quantity of a white powder that field-tested positive for fentanyl, along with drug paraphernalia consistent with distribution.
In an interview, Emily Carter reportedly admitted selling fentanyl for at least several weeks and said some of the cash seized by police came from drug sales. She also claimed that Justin Carter’s role was mostly to assist her in transactions.
The two were taken to the Lewisburg Police Department for processing. Charges are expected to include possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and resisting arrest.
The Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force continues to investigate.
