Multi-Agency Cooperation Leads to Large Methamphetamine Seizure

PRESS RELEASE – Agents with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division began an investigation into Harold Wayne Wolfenbarger, known by the street name “Wolf,” for suspected methamphetamine trafficking.

During the investigation, agents requested assistance from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI), which worked alongside the Sheriff’s Office throughout the case.

The investigation spanned from California to North Carolina.

On July 24, 2026, the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office (Georgia), with assistance from the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, NCSBI, the Union County Sheriff’s Office (Georgia), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), conducted a traffic stop involving Wolfenbarger.

During the stop, law enforcement officials recovered approximately one-half kilo (more than one pound) of methamphetamine.

Wolfenbarger was arrested in Gilmer County and charged with multiple drug-related offenses. He is currently being held without bond in the Gilmer County Jail.

The methamphetamine was destined for Cherokee County but was seized before it could reach its destination.

As part of the same investigation, an additional four ounces of methamphetamine were recovered earlier this month in Cherokee County from a female acquaintance of Wolfenbarger.

Alicia Garrett was stopped by a narcotics agent and subsequently charged with trafficking.

The cooperation between the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the NCSBI, and multiple Georgia law enforcement agencies proved essential in disrupting the flow of illegal drugs into local communities. In total, this investigation resulted in the seizure of more than 21 ounces of methamphetamine.

Sheriff Chris Wood praised the collaborative efforts of the agencies involved. “This arrest took a lot of hours and coordination. My agents work tirelessly and have built great relationships with our neighboring Georgia agencies, who work just as hard for their communities as they do for ours. I am thankful for our NCSBI partners, who always answer the phone when we need them. We are tracking in the right direction.”

All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.