Albemarle Raid Produces Illegal Bath Salts, 2 Arrests

 Jesse Levi Menefee

The execution of a search warrant in Albemarle produced two arrests and a slew of charges in an illegal drug outfit.

Albemarle police, working in collaboration with the Stanly County Sheriff's Office, executed a search warrant at The Back Room, a tattoo parlor located on the 800 block of North 2nd Street in Albemarle. The shop sits across the street from a children's daycare.

Among the items seized from The Back Room were 177 grams of bath salts valued at around $12,000 on the street, over 4,000 grams if synthetic marijuana with a street value of over $60,000, and 211 grams of Salvia, valued at over $5,000 on the street. An assortment of drug paraphernalia was also recovered.

The search warrant comes as the result of several complaints about the sale of illegal bath salts from the shop. Local residents as well as those in the law enforcement and medical fields all voiced their concern leading up to the search.

Alice Deaton

Police arrested Jesse Levi Menefee, the shop's owner. He now faces over 12 felony charges related to the sale, possession, and delivery of the drugs seized. He also faces a charge for sale and delivery of the drugs within 300 feet of a child development center. Menefee is being jailed in Stanly County under a $553,000 bond.

Also arrested was Alice Deaton, an employee of The Back Room. She was charged with possession of cocaine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. Deaton posted a $1,000 bond and was released.

Both Menefee and Deaton have a first appearance in court on September 17.