Police: Three-month investigation nets two opiate traffickers

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Wilmington Police Department’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit ended a three month long investigation Friday with the arrest of a New Jersey man and a Wilmington woman.

Detectives with the Special Investigations Division stopped Jamie Baker, 43, who had an active warrant for his arrest, in the 5200 block of Market Street on Friday. Police say Cherelle Autry, 29, was with Baker at the time of the stop.

Detectives reportedly located 121 grams of cocaine, 101 grams of fentanyl analog, and 60 grams of a cutting agent while executing a search during the stop. WPD says the fentanyl/cutting agent raw weights convert to approximately 8,500 bags of product to be sold on the street.

“Cutting agents are typically used to lessen the purity of a product, while increasing profits by adding more weight,” a WPD spokeswoman said in a news release.

Both were charged with two counts of trafficking opiates, two counts of trafficking cocaine, possession with intent to sell/distribute cocaine, and possession with intent to sell/distribute a schedule II controlled substance. Baker was also served with the warrant for his arrest for a prior offense of possession with intent to sell/distribute cocaine. Autry is also charged with possession of marijuana.

Baker was booked into New Hanover County Jail on a $1.5 million bond for the on-view arrest and $15,000 bond for the warrant. Autry received a bond of $1.5 million.