45-year-old Jaron Wade Pennell of 2nd Avenue SW in Hickory was arrested last Thursday (August 10) by Morganton Public Safety Officers. He’s charged with felony possession of schedule II controlled substance (methamphetamine) and misdemeanor open container after consuming. He’s also charged with driving while impaired and driving while license revoked.

Last Thursday, shortly before 9 p.m., a Public Safety Officer responded to an address on North Green Street in Morganton in reference to an investigation into reported suspicious activity involving drugs and an allegedly intoxicated individual. Police report the discovery of 1.5 grams of methamphetamine during that investigation. Pennell was taken into custody.

Jaron Wade Pennell has multiple convictions listed on the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction Offender Public Information website. The convictions were in Burke and McDowell Counties for charges including felony counts of habitual impaired driving and possession of schedule II controlled substance, they date back to 1998. The most recent listed conviction was in January of 2022 in Burke County for driving while impaired.

Following last week’s arrest, Pennell was brought to the Burke County Jail under a$5,000 secured bond. He was not listed as an inmate as of earlier today (August 15). A District Court appearance is scheduled for August 31.