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Zionville Man, Hudson Woman Arrested in Caldwell After 3/4 Pound Of Meth Found in Spare Tire

By Jesse Wood

Photo courtesy of the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office
Photo courtesy of the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office

June 5, 2013. A Zionville man and Hudson woman were arrested in Caldwell County after 3/4 of a pound of meth were found hidden in a spare tire on May 31.

The arrests of Jared Pardue, 33, of Zionville and Tawana Sparks, 31, of Hudson were a result of a month-long joint investigation involving the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office Ice Unit, Lenoir Police Department and the N.C State Bureau of Investigation into a ring of individuals distributing methamphetamine.

Pardue
Pardue

“We went after the source that was bringing substantial amounts of methamphetamine into this county. After tireless hours of hard work and partnership with other agencies it definitely paid off,” Jones said.

Agents were watching both suspects and monitoring their activities in May. When officers learned that Pardue and Sparks were returning from a trip with a substantial stash of meth, agents pinned the couple down at an undisclosed location in Hudson.

A K-9 officer with the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office searched the suspects’ vehicle, a 1997 Acura, while canine Bella alerted the officers to drugs that were eventually found inside a spare tire.

Sparks
Sparks

In several bags, three-quarters of a pound of meth with a street value of $47,000 were wrapped inside pillowcases and towels.

While agents expect more arrests and charges from the current investigation, both Pardue and Sparks were charged with trafficking meth by possession and transportation and maintaining a vehicle to store meth.

Scheduled to appear in court in Lenoir on Monday, Pardue has a $150,000 secured bond and Sparks has a $100,000 secured bond. Both were held at Caldwell County Detention Center.