Gaston County’s FAST team tracked down and arrested a woman wanted on a slate of drug trafficking charges on Friday, bringing a weeks-long search to a quiet close. The suspect, identified by authorities as Helen McKnight, was taken into custody without incident after officers found her in Gaston County. County police later shared photos and a brief write-up of the arrest on social media.
Charges and arrest details
In a news release posted to Facebook, Gaston County Police said McKnight was wanted on a long list of felony charges. Those include two counts of maintaining a dwelling for the sale of a controlled substance, four counts of trafficking heroin and three counts of trafficking methamphetamine. The release also lists two counts each of manufacture and sale of a Schedule I controlled substance, along with two counts of felony possession of a Schedule I controlled substance.
Local booking records back up charges
Local arrest logs show McKnight was booked on Friday in connection with the trafficking and related allegations. The mugshot gallery maintained by WCCB includes her booking, with entries reflecting trafficking methamphetamine charges and the manufacturing and sale counts. Those daily booking rundowns are standard public records and do not indicate any finding of guilt.
FAST team operation
According to Gaston County Police, the FAST team is a collaborative enforcement group that pulls in officers from multiple local, state and federal agencies. The department says that by sharing information and resources, the team is able to track down and arrest what it describes as dangerous offenders more quickly and with fewer risks to officers and bystanders.
What comes next
McKnight remains in custody as her case moves into the Gaston County court system, where prosecutors in the county district attorney’s office will handle formal charges and upcoming hearings. The arrest is one in a series of recent drug enforcement actions highlighted by Gaston County Government, including cash and narcotics seizures that officials say are part of an ongoing push to disrupt local trafficking operations.
