Suspected Fentanyl Trafficker Busted At Traffic Stop

Caldwell County Sheriff Kevin Bean announced on October 19, Patrol Deputies and Narcotics Agents with the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office’s recently implemented, Targeted Response and Apprehension Program (T.R.A.P Team), Lenoir Police Department, and Alexander County Sheriff’s Office concluded an investigation with the arrest of a fentanyl trafficker.

Aaron Wolfgang Upton, age 30, of Hudson, NC was arrested and charged with multiple counts of Trafficking in Fentanyl. He was placed in the Caldwell Detention Center with a $500,000.00 secured bond.
On October 19, 2026, Upton was approached by Narcotics Agents and Patrol Deputies in his driveway upon returning from Charlotte, North Carolina where he acquired fentanyl for distribution. A search of the vehicle was conducted along with a search warrant for the residence. Officers located approximately 25.6 grams of Fentanyl in the vehicle along with multiple firearms. The drugs seized during the investigation have a total street value of $5,120.00 according to North Carolina State Drug Guidelines.