Murphy, NC—The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office reports the December 21, 2021 arrest of 42 year old Barron Jermel Sudderth and 49 year old Tommy Vaughn Dockery Jr both of Murphy North Carolina for violations of the North Carolina Controlled Substances Statutes.
A week long investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office culminated in a traffic stop of a vehicle occupied by Sudderth and Dockery. During a probable cause search of the vehicle occupied by Sudderth and Dockery a trafficking amount of suspected heroin and fentanyl, suspected methamphetamine, a handgun and ammunition and was seized.
Narcotic investigators then executed a search warrant on the residence of Sudderth, which is in a public housing area of Murphy North Carolina. During that search of Sudderth’s residence additional weapons and ammunition were seized. Both Sudderth and Dockery have previous convictions and are prohibited by North Carolina statutes of possessing firearms.
Baron Jermel Sudderth is incarcerated in the Cherokee County Detention Center for: TRAFFICKING IN OPIUM OR HEROIN X 2, PWIMSD METHAMPHETAMINE, MAINTAIN a PLACE FOR USE/POSSESSION of CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. Sudderth is under a $150,000.00 secure bond and has a January 13, 2022 Cherokee County District Court date.
Tommy Vaughn Dockery Jr is incarcerated in the Cherokee Detention Center for: TRAFFICKING IN OPIUM OR HEROIN X 2, and PWIMSD METHAMPHETAMINE. Dockery is under a $150,000.00 secure bond and has a January 13, 2022 Cherokee County District Court date.
Chief Deputy Joe Wood stated “This operation located at least a mid-level amount of Heroin and Fentanyl and firearms in a public housing area in the residence of one of the charged individuals. This definitely was a recipe for disaster had a child discovered even a small amount of these deadly drugs or had gotten possession of a loaded firearm. We are not resting on this one and will continue to go up the food chain to work to stem the flow of illegal drugs in Cherokee County. As always we continue to appreciate the public’s assistance in this and all of our cases.”
To report suspicious activity and suspect violations of the law please call 828-837-1344 or submit a tip at crime.tips@cherokeecounty-nc.gov.