HAYESVILLE, NC- The Clay County, NC Sheriff's Office reported Thursday, that at 2:48 PM on Saturday, December 02, 2023, Clay County Officer Rafael Medina and Sgt. Chris Moral conducted a traffic stop of a black Jeep Patriot on U.S. Highway 64 West near Fires Creek Road in Hayesville.
Brenda Anne Baldwin, 50 years of age from Hiawassee, GA was found to be driving the Jeep. It was quickly learned that there was an outstanding warrant for Baldwin’s arrest out of Towns County, Georgia. Baldwin was immediately placed under arrest.
Officer Medina asked Baldwin if she had any drugs on her person and she said she did not. Sgt. Moral explained to Baldwin that if she entered the Detention Center with drugs, she would be charged with another drug offense in addition to the simple possession of drugs she possessed.
While enroute to the Clay County Detention Center, Baldwin volunteered that she had drugs in the sock on her right foot. Once to the Detention Center, a white crystal-like substance suspected to be Methamphetamine and 14 green pills suspected to be a Schedule IV Controlled Substance were recovered from Baldwin’s sock.
Brenda Anne Baldwin was charged with:
- Felony Possession of Methamphetamine
- Unlawful Possession of a Schedule IV Controlled Substance
Because of Baldwin’s admission, she was not charged with the more serious offense of bringing drugs into a Detention Facility.
Due to the outstanding warrant out of Georgia, no bond was issued allowing for Baldwin’s release.
At some point all of the illegal drugs being stored, sold, manufactured or used in Clay County have to be transported across our roadways.
While our Sheriff’s Office has Investigators who concentrate on the distribution and manufacture of illegal drugs, our Patrol Officers are trained and highly motivated to interdict drugs of any amounts being moved about our streets and highways.
