The lead that led to the missing person's safe return to family resulted in the arrest of 43-year-old Eugene “Gene” Williams of Scotland Neck, who was holed up in the Scotland Neck Inn on Highway 258, according to Major Scott Hall of the Halifax County Sheriff's Office.

Hall said it was not clear how long Williams had been at the motel. He declined comment on whether the sheriff's office had previous intelligence on him.

Sergeant Eric Johnson and Deputy David McKeel were following up on the missing person report received earlier in the day when they received a tip the person, whose gender Hall declined to disclose, may be at the motel.

Arriving at the motel around 4 p.m., the officers found the missing person as well as a person later identified as Williams.

A search of the room led to the discovery of 12 grams of unpackaged heroin and 327 bindles of heroin. A bindle of heroin contains approximately a tenth of a gram, Hall said. The deputies also seized a Bersa .380 handgun.

Johnson and McKeel charged Williams with trafficking heroin; maintaining a dwelling to store a controlled substance; manufacturing heroin; possession of a stolen firearm; possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Williams was jailed on $150,000 secured bond and given a February 2 court date.

Officer Robert Hale of the Scotland Neck Police Department assisted and the missing person was reunited with family.

Hall declined comment on why the missing person was at the motel.