31-year-old James Mitchell Dickinson of High Peak Mountain Road in Valdese and 35-year-old Elizabeth Michelle Cheek of Sunrise Lane in Morganton were arrested Wednesday (September 20) by Morganton Public Safety Officers. Dickinson was charged with felony possession of schedule II controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Cheek was charged with felony failure to appear on a felony and misdemeanor failure to appear on a count of failure to comply. A third suspect was charged with a misdemeanor offense.

Shortly after 9:30 p.m. Wednesday a Public Safety Officer conducted a traffic stop of a white 2005 Kia Rio with an expired plate. The vehicle was stopped on Burkemont Avenue in Morganton. After making contact with the occupants of the vehicle, all three were arrested and charged. During the investigation, police seized 1.4 grams of fentanyl, three dosage units of pressed fentanyl pills, and .5 dosage units of xanax.

According to the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction Offender Public Information website, both Dickinson and Cheek have multiple convictions listed. Dickinson has convictions listed dating back to 2019 in Burke, Catawba and Mitchell Counties and Cheek has three convictions listed dating back to 2015, all in McDowell County.

Following their arrests, Dickinson and Cheek were both placed in the Burke County Jail, Dickinson under $25,000 secured bond, Cheek under $18,283 secured bond. They both remained in jail as of earlier today (September 22). Dickinson has a District Court date October 9, Cheek is scheduled to appear in District Court October 4.