WPD: More than 100lbs of pot seized in multi-agency bust

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — More than 100 pounds of marijuana, 1300 dosage of LSD, guns, and more were seized during a multi-agency bust earlier this week. Now, several people are behind bars.

“I would say this is one of the more sizable seizures we’ve made recently so it’s quite an investigation,” Wilmington Deputy Police Chief Mitch Cunningham said.

Member of the Wilmington Police Department’s Special Investigation Division concluded a two month long narcotics investigation Monday night that resulted in the arrest of three Wilmington men and a Florida woman.

During a traffic stop around 11 p.m. Monday, officers said they found marijuana in the vehicle occupied by Benjamin Brown and Danielle Felt.

A short time later detectives executed a search warrant at Brown’s home on Wisteria Drive where more narcotics were found. Brown’s roommates, Hunter Hall and David Thompson, were at the house.

“Until we as a society address the insatiable appetite of drugs in society these types of arrest and seizures will continue to grow exponentially until we stop the appetite,” Wilmington Police Chief Ralph Evangelous said.

In total, detectives seized more than 30 pounds of marijuana/marijuana concentrate and over 1300 dosage units of LSD, five firearms and approximately $7,000.

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Additionally, quantities of ecstasy, cocaine and Clonazepam were also found.

WPD officers then alerted South Carolina authorities that night of a related address. Deputies with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department went to the address and after finding contraband in plain view executed a search warrant that night. They recovered more than 100 pounds of marijuana, quantities of methadone, fentanyl, pills and over $96,000 in cash.

Three people were arrested in connection to the case in South Carolina.

The ATF assisted in the investigation.

The charges are as follows:

Benjamin Arlo Brown, 30, Wilmington: 

• Possession of a weapon of mass destruction
• Possession with intent to sell and deliver schedule I CS (LSD)
• Possession with intent to sell and deliver schedule IV CS (Clonazepam)
• Possession with intent to sell and deliver schedule VI CS (marijuana)(2 counts)
• Felony possession of schedule I CS (MDMA/ecstasy)(2 counts)
• Felony possession of schedule II CS (cocaine)
• Felony possession of schedule VI CS (marijuana)(2 counts)
• Trafficking in LSD
• Trafficking in marijuana (3 counts)
• Maintain a vehicle/ dwelling for keeping storing a CS (2 counts)

Danielle Felt, 35, Hobe Sound, Florida: 

• Trafficking in marijuana (2 counts)
• Maintain a vehicle/ dwelling for keeping storing a CS
• Possession with intent to sell and deliver schedule VI CS (marijuana)

Hunter Patrick Hall, 28, Wilmington:

• Possession with intent to sell and deliver schedule I CS (LSD)
• Possession with intent to sell and deliver schedule VI CS (marijuana)
• Felony possession of schedule I CS (MDMA/ ecstasy)
• Felony possession of schedule II CS (cocaine)(2 counts)
• Felony possession of schedule VI CS (marijuana)
• Maintain a vehicle/ dwelling for keeping storing a CS
• Possession of schedule VI CS (marijuana)

David Jay Thompson, 24, Wilmington: 

• Possession with intent to sell and deliver schedule I CS (LSD)
• Possession with intent to sell and deliver schedule VI CS (marijuana)
• Felony possession of schedule I CS (MDMA/ ecstasy)
• Felony possession of schedule II CS (cocaine)
• Felony possession of schedule VI CS (marijuana)
• Maintain a vehicle/ dwelling for keeping storing a CS
• Possession of schedule VI CS (marijuana)

South Carolina arrests:

Eric Paul Wallace, 34, Chapin, SC: 

• Trafficking marijuana more than 100 pounds
• Possession with the intent to distribute Sch II-Third offense
• Possession of Sch IV – 2^ndoffense or greater

Daniel Wesley Avinger, 27, Chapin, SC:

• Trafficking marijuana more than 100 pounds
• Possession with the intent to distribute Sch II
• Possession of Sch IV

Cory Brian Takach, 31, Chapin, SC:

• Trafficking marijuana more than 100 pounds
• Trafficking ecstacy more than 100 dosage units but less than 500 dosage units
• Possession with the intent to distribute Sch II – 2^ndoffense
• Possession of Sch IV – 2^ndoffense