TRENTON— While serving a warrant on unrelated charges, Jones County Sheriff’s Office investigators cracked a months-long meth case Thursday.
“The narcotics unit had been investigating the location for two and a half to three months prior to this,” JCSO Capt. Justin Eimer said. “When they went to the location, the suspect was not on scene. We got consent from the owner of the property to search the property, in what’s commonly referred to as a ‘knock and talk.’ ”
While looking around the property on the 500 block of Richlands Road, detectives found what they believed to be a meth lab.
“We backed out, contacted the SBI, and went and obtained a search warrant and a destruction order and had them signed by a Superior Court judge,” Eimer said. “They executed the search warrant and confirmed their suspicions. The meth lab was cleaned up and the suspect has been charged in the case, as well.”
Jeffery Scott Wiggins, 27, was arrested and charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver meth, possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, manufacturing meth, possession/distribution of meth, maintaining a dwelling for controlled substance and possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver marijuana — all felonies. He’s also charged with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
Authorities believed the other family members at the residence were unaware of the meth operation.
In addition to that case, Wiggins was due in Jones County District Court on charges of misdemeanor worthless check, felony obtaining property by false pretense and felony conversion of a property to his own name.
He’s also due in court for three counts of misdemeanor assault on a female on Sept. 20.
Wiggins has outstanding charges of misdemeanor possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while license revoked and failure to wear a seatbelt in Onslow County, as well.
Wiggins was placed in the Jones County Detention Center under a $300,000 bond.
Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 and Wes.Wolfe@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.