Lord arrested after running from police; Morton charged with possession, trafficking drugs

Published 11:04 am Tuesday, December 17, 2019

A foot chase resulted in one man being arrested on Saturday on drug and forgery charges. Derek Lord, 33, of Pineville, was arrested by Pineville Police Officer Shane Stewart for second-degree fleeing or evading police, first-degree trafficking a controlled substance (greater than or equal to 2 grams of methamphetamine), resisting arrest, possession of drug paraphernalia and first-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument.

According to the arrest citation, Stewart attempted to stop Lord near a church on 3rd Street in Wallsend. Lord refused directions and “took off on foot.”

Stewart pursued Lord across Tennessee Avenue and into the alley on the other side of Wallsend between 3rd and 4th Street. After orders to stop were continued to be ignored, the officer had to deploy his taser to stop Lord the citation states.

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As a result of a search, Stewart found small baggies containing a crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine, a pipe with residue and a rock inside, small scales and cash money. The arrest also produced four $100 bills along with his other cash.

The citation states the $100 bills were fake and marked “play money,” but those words were whited out in an attempt to hide the fact that they were fake. Bell County Sheriff’s Deputy Jake Perry found the bill as he was helping secure Lord.

Lord was also served five bench warrants for court. As of press time, he remained in the Bell County Detention Center.

In other police news, a Middlesboro man was arrested after police say he possessed methamphetamine. Frank Gilbert Morton, 39, was arrested by deputies with the Bell County Sheriff’s Office and charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), first-degree trafficking a controlled substance (greater than or equal to 2 grams of methamphetamine), possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and tampering with physical evidence.

According to the arrest citation, a deputy with the sheriff’s office was standing outside of his vehicle speaking to a “suspicious male” walking on Polly Hollow Road. The alleged violator was driving his bicycle when the deputy noticed a very strong odor of marijuana right as he passed.

The citation states Morton told the officer he had a bag of weed in his backpack and gave consent to retrieve it. As the deputy opened the backpack, he found a large bag of marijuana in the large compartment.

While the deputy was continuing his search, Morton was seen quickly sticking his hands in his boots to pull out a napkin containing a crystal substance believed to be meth and another small bag of marijuana. He attempted to dispose of the substances the citation states.

As of press time, Morton remained in the Bell County Detention Center.