Traffic Stop Leads to Drug Arrest

The following press release has been issued by Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.   All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Murphy, NC— Sheriff Derrick Palmer announced the March 14th, 2017 arrest of 48-year-old Amy Jean Allen and 53-year-old Larry Ray Hogan, both of Murphy, North Carolina, for violations of the controlled substances laws of North Carolina.

Deputies of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office were patrolling in an area where known violations of the controlled substance laws had been taking place when a vehicle occupied by Allen and Hogan was observed committing a traffic violation. Upon stopping the vehicle, Narcotic Investigators with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office assisted. During the traffic stop, one of the Narcotic Detector K9s alerted for the presence of illegally possessed controlled substances. During a search of the vehicle and of the persons of Allen and Hogan, an amount of illegally possessed controlled substances were found.

Both Allen and Hogan were arrested on scene and transported to the Cherokee County Detention Center. During the booking process, another amount of illegally possessed controlled substance was found which has been secreted into the jail in the person of Allen.

Allen was booked and is currently being held at the Cherokee County Detention Center for PWIMSD METHAMPHETAMINE, POSSESS CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE PRISON/JAIL PREMISSES, MAINTAINING A DWELLING/VEHICLE FOR USE OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, POSSESS DRUG PARAPHERNALIA and is currently under a $30,000.00 secure bond.

Hogan was booked and is currently being held at the Cherokee County Detention Center for PWIMSD METHAMPHETAMINE, MAINTAINING A DWELLING/VEHICLE FOR USE OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, POSSESS DRUG PARAPHERNALIA and is currently under a $30,000.00 secure bond.

​Sheriff Palmer remarked, “We continue our effort to control the drug trafficking in Cherokee County. Good work by our deputies getting a couple more off the street.”

​Sheriff Palmer encourages anyone that has information on this crime or any other to report it. To report crime in Cherokee County you can call the anonymous tip line at 828-837-1344 or email a tip at crime.tips@cherokeecounty-nc.gov or call 911 if you observe a crime in progress.