LENOIR, N.C. – Two Lenoir men, 47-year-old Marquis Terrell Witherspoon of Finley Avenue and 43-year-old Joshua Ryan Audrey of Stage Street, have been arrested following a large-scale drug investigation.
Both suspects face felony charges of conspiracy to traffic cocaine, manufacturing cocaine, and maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance.
The arrests come after a joint investigation by the Lenoir Police Department and Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, prompted by multiple community complaints about suspected drug activity at various locations.
Authorities identified Witherspoon and Audrey as key players in an illegal cocaine distribution operation. On the morning of April 8, investigators executed search warrants at their residences and a third property on Rankin Street.
The operation led to the seizure of 139.2 grams of crack cocaine, 943.6 grams of marijuana, $33,721 in cash, and a handgun. The estimated street value of the seized narcotics is $35,388.80.
Both men were booked into the Caldwell County Detention Center, each with a $500,000 bond. They are scheduled to appear in District Court on April 24 in Lenoir.
Law enforcement extended thanks to the Sheriff’s Offices in Burke, Alexander, and Watauga Counties, as well as the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, for their assistance in the operation.
