More information has been released regarding the arrest of 30-year-old Robert Joseph Walton of Lee Cline Road in Conover. As reported previously on WHKY, he was arrested by Catawba County Sheriff’s Officers early today (January 18) on charges of trafficking in methamphetamine, trafficking in opium, possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver a schedule II controlled substance, maintaining a vehicle for the manufacture, sale, or delivery of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, expired driver’s license, and failure to burn headlamps.

At about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, Patrol Deputies stopped a vehicle on Fairgrove Church Road after they noticed that the vehicle didn’t have its headlights on. During the stop, a Sheriff’s Office K-9 (Odin) performed an open-air sniff around the vehicle. The K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. A search resulted in the discovery of 133 grams of methamphetamine, 7.6 grams of fentanyl, 4.5 grams of marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.

The driver, Robert Joseph Walton, was arrested and placed in the Catawba County Detention Facility under a $185,000 secured bond. He remained in jail as of this evening. Walton was scheduled to make a first appearance in District Court today in Newton with his next court date set for February 8.