Staff Report
A traffic stop Nov. 7 on Highway 64 east led to felony drug and a firearm charge involving a Blairsville, Ga. man.
At 9:43 p.m. Investigator Nick Queen stopped a black Mercury sedan being driven by William David Ledford, 49, according to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
Queen knew Ledford to have previously been charged in Georgia as a felon in possession of a firearm. Clay County Sgt. Steven Smith with his K-9 “Luca,” arrived to assist with the traffic stop.
Smith, with an alert from “Luca,” located a camouflage backpack underneath the front bumper of the Mercury which contained a large quantity of a white crystal like substance suspected to be methamphetamine, according to the release from the sheriff’s office.
Clay County Lt. Tyler Faggard also arrived at the scene to assist. A baggy containing a small amount of suspected methamphetamine was located in Ledford’s front breast pocket, according to the release from Buchanan.
A search of the car’s interior yielded a smoking device with a green liquid inside, a semi-automatic 22 rifle reported stolen out of Tennessee and a Springfield semi-automatic 9mm pistol, the release said.
The suspected methamphetamine field tested positive for methamphetamine and had a total weight of 128.53 ounces.
Ledford was arrested and charged with two felony counts of trafficking in methamphetamine, one felony count of possession with intent to sell or deliver methamphetamine and felony possession of a firearm by a felon. He is being held without a bond at the Clay County Detention Center.