FROM STAFF REPORTS

A Charlotte man faces drug charges after being stopped for a motor vehicle violation by an Iredell County Sheriff’s Office deputy.

Sheriff Darren Campbell announced the arrest of Kenyatta Jay Smoot Jr., 31, of Tiara Lane, Charlotte, in a news release Thursday.

About 1:42 a.m. on Monday, September 2, Deputy S. Zalepka conducted a traffic stop on a red Chevrolet Camaro at the intersection of Charlotte Highway and Waterlynn Ridge Road for a violation, Campbell said. During the traffic stop the, deputy observed “suspicious behavior from the driver” and could smell marijuana coming from inside the vehicle, according to the news release.

During the ensuing search of the vehicle, Deputy Zalepka located approximately 15.5 gram of cocaine, eight dosage units of Buprenorphine, 23 dosage units of Alprazolem, 13 dosage units of Lorazepam, six dosage units of Clonazepam, a fully loaded Smith & Wesson handgun, and $1,744, the sheriff said.

Smoot, who was driving the vehicle, was arrested and transported to the Iredell County Detention Center.

He was charged with felony possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine, felony maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance, misdemeanor carrying a concealed weapon and six misdemeanor drug offenses.

His bond was set at $10,000 by Magistrate Nicholson.