FROM STAFF REPORTS

Two men face felony drug and weapons charges after being stopped by Iredell County Sheriff’s Office deputies while they were traveling to a party in The Point neighborhood in southern Iredell County over the weekend.

Sheriff Darren Campbell announced the arrests of Antonio Dejuan Hall, 28, of Middlebury Place Charlotte, and John Lewis Sheppard Jr., 22, Middle Street, Gastonia, in a news release Tuesday. 

Lt. J. Younts was patroling the area of Brawley School Road and Stutts Road near Mooresville on Saturday when he observed a silver Chevrolet Impala displaying a revoked registration plate, Campbell said.

Lt. Younts, Deputy G. Deal, and Canine Deputy Hodges conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. While approaching the vehicle, the deputies could smell a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, according to the news release.

When Lt. Younts asked the occupants about the odor of marijuana, Hall pulled a bag of marijuana from his jacket and handed it to the deputies, Campbell said. The two occupants advised the deputies that they had traveled to Mooresville to attend a party at a house in The Point and were supposed to park in the Food Lion parking lot, located at 1088 Brawley School Road, to meet a shuttle service to take them to the party, according to the news release.

When deputies ran Hall’s name through a criminal database, they learned he had two active federal arrest warrants out of Virginia on gun-related charges, Campbell said.

The deputies then searched the vehicle and found two loaded firearms, marijuana and cocaine, and drug paraphernalia, according to the news release.

While searching the vehicle, additional information was received showing Hall was a convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Hall was arrested on the scene and taken to the Iredell County Detention Center. He was charged with Felony Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Felony Possession of Cocaine, Misdemeanor Possession of Marijuana, Misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Misdemeanor Carry Concealed Gun. He was also served with the outstanding arrest warrant from Virginia.

Hall appeared before Magistrate J. Hollar, who issued a $65,000 secured bond on local charges and ordered him held without bond on the federal charges.

The other occupant of the vehicle, identified as Donovan Jacques Murphy, 25, of Arbordale Way, Mount Holly, was charged with Misdemeanor Concealed Firearm, Misdemeanor Possession of Marijuana, and Misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. 

In the early morning hours of Sunday, Canine Deputy Hodges was working in the same area and observed a vehicle traveling on Brawley School Road. He stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation, according to the news release.

When he approached the vehicle, he made contact with Sheppard, who was driving the vehicle.

While running Sheppard’s driver’s license information, Hodges learned Sheppard had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. He placed Sheppard under arrest for the outstanding warrant.

While searching the vehicle, Hodges located two concealed firearms, including one reported stolen in Mecklenburg County, Campbell said. Marijuana and Oxycodone pills were also located in the vehicle according to the news release.

Sheppard was arrested and taken to the Iredell County Detention Center, where he was charged with Felony Possession of a Stolen Firearm, two counts of Felony Trafficking Heroin, two counts of Misdemeanor Carry Concealed Weapon, Misdemeanor Possession of Marijuana, and Misdemeanor Possession of Marijuana Paraphernalia.

Sheppard appeared before Magistrate J. Hollar, who issued a $351,000 secured bond.

During questioning by the deputies, Sheppard stated he was in that area to attend a party in The Point, according to the news release.