Monroe police say a coordinated raid on homes in Monroe and Marshville turned up more than 10 pounds of methamphetamine, a pound of cocaine, nine firearms and over $15,000 in cash, leading to the arrest of a 31-year-old man now facing trafficking and child-endangerment charges.
Eufracio Quizapa-Santillo was arrested and charged with trafficking in methamphetamine, trafficking in cocaine, possession with intent to sell and deliver methamphetamine, felony conspiracy, felony possession of marijuana, distributing narcotics and exposing a child to a controlled substance, according to WCCB Charlotte. Investigators also recovered roughly a half-pound of marijuana during the searches, the station reported.
After a months-long investigation into an individual, detectives linked a residence in the 600 block of Carr Street in Monroe and a home on Van Eudy Road in Marshville to suspicious activity, per the same report. That connection led the Monroe Police Department Special Response Team to execute search warrants at both properties, where the drugs, cash and weapons were ultimately seized.
Multiple Agencies Joined the Operation
The Monroe raid wasn't a solo effort. Homeland Security Investigations, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Special Response Team and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department crime gun detectives all participated in the search-warrant operation, the station's report notes.
Monroe Police Chief Rhett Bolen said illegal narcotics and firearms brought into Monroe will be met with enforcement, according to the same account. The department also said it had been investigating an individual for possible involvement in gang-related activity, per the article.
Investigation Remains Open
The Monroe Police Department says the investigation is ongoing, the outlet reported. No further details on the charges' factual basis, court proceedings or Quizapa-Santillo's legal representation have been released.
Drug trafficking cases involving quantities like those seized in Monroe typically fall under North Carolina's controlled-substances law, which applies to anyone who sells, manufactures, delivers, transports or possesses 28 grams or more of methamphetamine or a mixture containing it, according to the North Carolina General Assembly. Separately, state conspiracy statutes classify conspiracy to commit a Class B2 felony as a Class C felony, while conspiracy to commit a Class I felony is treated as a Class 1 misdemeanor, per the North Carolina General Assembly's conspiracy statute.
No additional details about the timing of the searches, the defendant's bond status or any prior criminal history have been released.
