Around midnight on Saturday, April 12, the Georgia State Patrol pulled over a Fannin County driver at the Circle K convenience store on Cleveland Street in Blairsville.
It just so happened that the man behind the wheel, David Franklin Morgan, was also the subject of an extensive drug investigation by the Union County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division.
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Morgan, who has been staying in both Fannin and Union counties of late, came under suspicion for drug-dealing activities about two months ago during a separate investigation, UCSO Narcotics Lt. Tyler Miller said.
UCSO Narcotics Staff Sgt. Jay McCarter responded to the traffic stop, where the investigation into Morgan ended early when he was found to be in possession of 65 grams of methamphetamine – more than twice the amount required for a drug trafficking charge.
The search of his vehicle also resulted in the confiscation of 11 oxycodone pills, a set of scales and multiple empty baggies, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Morgan, 51, of McCaysville, was arrested without incident and charged with trafficking meth and possession with intent to distribute a Schedule II narcotic – both felonies – plus misdemeanor DUI drugs, driving with an expired tag, defective tires and other traffic charges.
With bond denied, Morgan remained in custody at the Union County Jail at press time, and he is presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law.
In an expansion of his duties, Staff Sgt. McCarter has been attached to the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the purpose of which is “to promote a coordinated effort between the FBI and local law enforcement to locate and apprehend violent criminals and to eliminate street, gang and drug-related violence.”
The inclusion of an in-house officer on the Safe Streets Task Force is new for UCSO, and Sheriff Shawn Dyer is excited for the resources the collaboration will bring to combatting local drug crimes.
Additionally, Sheriff Dyer is proud of the good-working relationships UCSO continues to have with the Georgia State Patrol and other law enforcement agencies.
Residents are encouraged to report tips about local drug activity, anonymous or otherwise, by calling the Sheriff’s Office at 706-439-6066.
