RANGER
Meth found in vehicle
Two Tennessee residents were arrested over the weekend after police found a trafficking amount of methamphetamine in a vehicle they occupied.
Officials say a witness called police after noticing a woman performing a sex act on a man inside a vehicle that was parked outside a business around 11 a.m. Saturday. When a deputy arrived and spoke to the couple, the driver gave consent to search the vehicle.
During the search, police found 72 grams of alleged meth. Timothy Eric Roberts, 38, of Whitwell, Tenn., is charged with several drug trafficking and distribution offenses. Jessica Lynn Koobs, 30, of Cleveland, Tenn., is charged with a single count of meth possession.
Officials expect to upgrade the charges against Koobs to trafficking offenses. Authorities are also deciding whether to charge the pair for performing sex acts in public.
Roberts is being held on a $500,000 secured bond. A judge set a $5,000 secured bond for Koobs.
RANGER
Chase ends with arrest
A local woman was accused of harboring a fugitive following a police chase during which the main suspect escaped capture.
Kelly Denise Walker, 33, of Murphy, was a passenger in a vehicle around 3:30 p.m. March 30, when police noticed the driver, who is wanted in connection with several outstanding warrants, according to law enforcement reports.
When the driver noticed police were in pursuit of him, he led them on a chase into a housing development behind Peddlers Village, where he jumped out of the car while it was still moving. The driver then fled into the woods leaving Walker with the vehicle.
During a subsequent search of the car, police found 1.3 grams of alleged methamphetamine. Walker is charged with drug possession and harboring a fugitive, which is a felony.
The driver remains on the run.
ROBBINSVILLE
Drugs seized in traffic stop
A broken tail light recently yielded a plethora of controlled substances.
According to a release from the Graham County Sheriff’s Office, Brandy Lee Yackeren, 34, of Andrews, was observed by patrol members leaving the River Breeze Trailer Park on Five Points Road with a broken rear tail light. Once the vehicle was pulled over, Yackeren appeared to be under the influence.
According to the police report, Yackeren admitted having methamphetamine and marijuana in her purse. A subsequent search found her to be in possession of 3.78 grams of meth, 27 hydrocodone pills – a schedule II substance – and 13.56 grams of marijuana.
Yackeren later went before the magistrate, where she was given a $15,000 secure bond. She was also cited for the broken tail light, driving while license revoked, expired registration, possession of marijuana paraphernalia and possession of drug paraphernalia.
FRANKLIN
Man admits sex assault
A local man admitted in Macon County Superior Court to forcing his way into a woman’s house and sexually assaulting her, District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch said last week.
Cody Road resident Jacob Loftis, 34, pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary and second-degree forcible sex offense March 31. Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Bill Coward sentenced Loftis to 62-87 months and 58-130 months, respectively, with the sentences to run consecutively.
This means Loftis will spend at least the next 10 years in prison. Additionally, for 30 years, he will be listed on North Carolina’s sex-offender registration, a publicly available, searchable database.
Assistant District Attorney John Hindsman Jr. prosecuted the case. About 2 a.m. Sept. 17, 2019, the victim, who was asleep in her bedroom, woke to find her former boyfriend looming over her bed and pulling off the blanket. Loftis attempted to sexually assault the woman. Hindsman said prior to this – that same month – he had sexually assaulted her.
From staff reports.