Two men are in custody after a large drug bust in Wilkes County.
The Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office says a kilo of cocaine (2.2 lbs), 26 pounds of marijuana, 170 grams of methamphetamine, a number of pills and nearly $45,000 in cash were seized on Friday, February 21st.
Barry Bryce Prevette, 61, of Roaring River and Steve Steelman, age 72 of the Austin community have been charged. Steelman faces three counts and Prevette two counts of trafficking in cocaine.
Steelman was also charged with trafficking in meth, trafficking in marijuana, conspiracy with Prevette to traffic drugs, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, possession with intent to sell and deliver meth, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana and maintaining a dwelling for controlled substances. Steelman has served a federal prison sentence for a drug conviction in the past.
Prevette also was charged with one count each of possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, maintaining a vehicle for controlled substances and conspiracy with Steelman to traffic drugs. The N.C. Highway Patrol charged Prevette with reckless driving to endanger, speeding, driving while impaired and felony fleeing to elude arrest.
Both men are being held in the Wilkes County Jail with bonds of $5 million each.
The Wilkes Journal Patriot and The Record of Wilkes contributed to this story