MOULTRIE, Ga. — Moultrie and Colquitt County law enforcement charged several people with drug offenses over the last several days.

Suspect fled, but was caught later

Three people were charged following a traffic stop Jan. 23 in which one of the suspects fled into the woods. 

A Colquitt County sheriff’s deputy operating a radar on Highway 111 reported he clocked a 2006 Jeep Cherokee traveling 81 miles per hour at 11:50 a.m. that day. As he pursued, the car turned onto Mitchell County Line Road before stopping.

Backup arrived to help search the car, and the deputy said drugs were found. None of the three people in the car claimed them. While the suspects were being handcuffed, one of them ran into the woods. The deputy chased but lost him.

The deputy’s incident report said Dustin Morrell Barfield, 31, of Pelham, and Courtney Carter, 32, of Pavo, were charged with possession of drugs, but booking forms at the Colquitt County Jail indicated they were being held for the Drug Enforcement Team without listing any official charges. 

Ashley Upton, 21, 1965 Dillon Road, was caught by Mitchell County sheriff’s deputies about two miles from the site of the traffic stop, the Colquitt County deputy’s report said. He was charged with battery in connection with an 2017 incident as well as obstruction and giving false information in connection with the traffic stop.

Burglary foiled

A deputy responding to a report of a burglary in progress Jan. 24 on Seminole Drive charged three people with burglary and other charges.

Ashlynne Breyannah McMurphy, 22, of Moultrie, was charged with probation violation, possession of methamphetamine and burglary. 

Joseph Sesler, 39, 323 Second St. N.W., was charged with probation violation, failure to appear and burglary.

Jacob Artie Russell, 31, 1019 Holmes Drive, was charged with possession of methamphetamine and burglary.

Suspicious pedestrian

A deputy responded to a man walking in the middle of the road and blocking traffic about 6:30 p.m. Jan. 27 in the 3900 block of Ellenton-Omega Road near Norman Park.

The man, identified as James Darrell Bryant, 43, 72 Greenwood Ave., told the deputy his girlfriend had left him stranded and he was walking to Moultrie. 

The deputy said Bryant was sweating, even though the weather was only 55 degrees, and he couldn’t keep still, so he suspected the man was on drugs. He offered him a ride to Moultrie, but said he’d have to search him before he could let him in the car. He said the man got very nervous.

He asked Bryant if he had drugs on him, and Bryant said no. He asked to search him, and Bryant agreed. During the search, the deputy said, he found a needle with a clear liquid in it. The deputy said he believed the liquid was methamphetamine.

Bryant was taken to the Colquitt County Jail, where booking paperwork said he was being held for the Drug Enforcement Team. The form didn’t list any official charges as of Friday.

Other drug arrests

• Colquitt County deputies charged Mauricio Javier Valdes, 34, 376 Newsome Road, Jan. 28 with two counts of conspiracy to commit a crime (trafficking of methamphetamine).

• Moultrie police charged Samuel Tredell Oliver, 30, 428 Ninth St. N.W., Jan. 28 with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm or knife during commission of a crime, failure to obey a stop sign and possession of a drug-related object.