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On Wednesday, April 10 Clay County DEA Task Force Officer Tyler Faggard and Clay County K-9 Sgt Steven Smith conducted an investigative traffic stop of a 1999 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck at 12:54 a.m. on Ritter Road in Hayesville.
The stop resulted in a drug charge after K-9 "Luca," alerted on the vehicle, according to a release from the sheriff's office.
Dwight Jack Wilemon, 59, of Marble, was the driver and after an alert from Smith’s K-9 the truck and Wilemon were searched for controlled substances. A clear baggy containing a crystal-like substance that field tested positive as methamphetamine was found on Wilemon. He was arrested and charged with felony possession of methamphetamine as well as an equipment infraction.
Wilemon was issued a $5,000 secured bond and his truck was towed to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office impound lot for safekeeping.
In an unrelated arrest a few days later on Saturday, April 13 another early morning stop yielded two more arrests, one of those a drug charge after K-9 "Luca," alerted again on a vehicle.
At 12:35 a.m. Faggard noted a 2015 black GMC Yukon arrive at Hot Spot in Hayesville, driven by Eric Estaban Rivera, 40, of Hayesville. The passenger was Jillian Ashley Stiles, 42, of Murphy. After a brief inquiry with Clay County 911 Dispatch, Faggard learned there were outstanding orders for Stiles’ arrest out of Swain County.
By this time, Rivera and Stiles had left the Hot Spot. Faggard, assisted by Clay County K-9, Smith and Clay County investigator Nick Queen, stopped the GMC near Truett Baptist Church where Smith’s K-9 alerted on the vehicle indicating the presence of controlled substances, according to the sheriff's office.
Faggard reported seizing a black pouch from the side of the driver’s seat. He said the pouch contained three baggies containing a crystal-like substance that field tested positive for methamphetamine. A search of Stiles' purse yielded multiple used hypodermic needles, according to a release from Sheriff Mark Buchanan.
Rivera was arrested for felony possession with intent to sell or deliver methamphetamine and felony maintaining a vehicle to keep controlled substances. Rivera was not issued a bond for his release.
Stiles was arrested on the outstanding orders for arrest and given a $500 secured bond.
About “Luca”
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office has only one K-9, “Luca” whose handler is Sgt. Steven Smith.
“K-9’s that are trained to detect illegal drugs are an incredible force multiplier when it comes to law enforcement’s war on drugs. K-9’s can often be the difference in the ability or not to search a person, vehicle, and property where drugs are suspected to be present,” said Sheriff Buchanan.
“These two cases are perfect examples of just this. Clay County has in the past had two K-9s,” he said. “The last attempt to train another K-9 was unsuccessful due to the lack of drive of a donated but beautiful, white German Shepherd displayed.”
The sheriff’s office is trying to add another K-9 so each patrol squad will have one assigned to it. Certified and guaranteed performing K-9s can be very expensive to buy, train and maintain but the sheriff noted “are well worth the return.”