Duplin County, N.C. — On June 3, deputies from the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office arrested two individuals on drug and weapons charges following a traffic stop on NC Hwy 24 near Blizzard Town Road.
During the stop, deputies learned 34-year-old Joshua Lee Pickle of Beaufort had an outstanding felony drug warrant from Carteret County and took him into custody.
A search of Pickle’s vehicle uncovered a .22 caliber handgun, a fully operational MAC-11 machine gun, two disassembled MAC-11 machine guns, a 9mm handgun, .22 caliber ammunition, methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.
Pickle was charged with multiple felony drug and weapons offenses in addition to his outstanding warrant.
A passenger in the vehicle, 30-year-old Morgan Bistritz of Otway, was also arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Both Pickle and Bistritz were held without bond in Duplin County Jail due to existing bonds for unrelated charges.
