CLEVELAND COUNTY, N.C. — Investigators with the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office arrested six people on felony charges after uncovering a drug operation they said started with an employee of a Boiling Springs pharmacy.
Lisa Jones of Mooresboro was charged with larceny by employee, trafficking in opium/heroin and possession with the intent to sell hydrocodone.
Investigators said Jones was a pharmacy tech at the Professional Pharmacy on East College Avenue in Boiling Springs. She's accused of stealing thousands of pills from her employer and then giving the medication to the other participants to distribute throughout the community.
The investigation traced the operation back to Jones after detectives said they searched the homes of Patrick Greene and Zeke Houser. Investigators said they seized 3,274 hydrocodone pills, 99 Xanax pills, 364 grams, or 0.8 pound, of hydroponically-grown marijuana, a stolen pistol and $5,014 in cash.
Deputies said the street value of the drugs seized was approximately $50,000.
The investigation also led to the arrest of Tyler Hunt, Charles Morrison II and Jerry Greene.
Jones is scheduled to appear in court Monday.
"This arrest and the quantity of the pills that were seized shows just how serious the problem is with the diversion of prescription medication," said Cleveland County Sheriff Alan Norman.
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