A 21-year-old Petersburg man faces a heroin trafficking count as well as counts related to possession of 4 pounds of marijuana and fentanyl and cocaine following a traffic stop for speeding on Interstate 95 last week.
Trooper C.A. Hill of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said Sunday the drug investigation was turned over to the narcotics unit of the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office after he pulled Marquiece Murdock for speeding 85 in a 70 zone in the southbound lane of I-95 near the 176 mile marker in the Gaston area.
Marquiece’s brother, 19-year-old Mitchell Murdock, was charged with simple possession of marijuana by the sheriff’s office and a seatbelt violation by Hill.
Captain Patrick Jacobs of the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office said Marquiece Murdock faces the following charges: Possession with intent to manufacture, sell, and deliver 1,614 grams of marijuana, five counts of trafficking 14 grams of heroin, possession with intent to manufacture, sell, and deliver 8.75 grams of heroin, possession with intent to manufacture, sell, and deliver 8 grams of fentanyl, possession with intent to manufacture, sell, and deliver 15.5 grams of cocaine, and carrying a concealed handgun.
Hill charged Marquiece Murdock with speeding, driving with no license and an expired temporary tag.
Hill said the stop occurred around 7 p.m. last Thursday when a passenger vehicle came up behind him and he clocked the man later identified as Marquiece Murdock traveling 85 in the 70 zone.
Marquiece Murdock passed Hill’s unmarked car and the trooper activated blue lights and siren.
There were four males in the vehicle, Hill said, none of them having drivers licenses or IDs.
Hill said he smelled the odor of marijuana in the vehicle. “That sent me in the direction that there might be something in the vehicle. I got the driver out. He admitted he had marijuana in the car.”
Hill received assistance from troopers W.H. Wheeler, W.C. Wheeler, and J.J. Lynch.
Initially the troopers found what Hill described as little baggies of marijuana which he said furthered the probable cause for a search of the vehicle. There were two backpacks in the vehicle and that’s when the trooper found the 4 pounds of marijuana in vacuumed-sealed bags as well the heroin, fentanyl and an eight ball of cocaine which he said Marquiece Murdock had in his possession. The troopers also found $5,200 in small bills.
Hill said the brothers gave him no other information including their destination.
Jacobs said Marquiece Murdock received a $50,000 secured bond and Thursday district court date while his brother received a $500 secured bond and the same court date.
