Three people are behind bars in a pair of unrelated drug arrests in Bertie County.

Rodney Lassiter, Jesse Karl Williams Jr. and Kyra Nicole Gilliam each face drug-related charges following arrests by the Bertie County Sheriff’s Office.

According to Bertie County Sheriff John Holley, an officer was patrolling the Roxobel area of the county when he saw Lassiter walking on Peele Street. Narcotics Officer Travis Askew spoke to Lassiter about a warrant pending for probation violation and then placed him in custody.

During the pat down, Askew recovered six individual bags of marijuana and two dosage units of crack cocaine in Lassiter’s pocket.

Lassiter was taken to the Bertie-Martin Regional Jail and placed under a $30,000 secured bond on charges of possession with intent to sell and deliver a schedule six narcotic and possession of a schedule two narcotic.

In a separate incident, Holley’s office received a tip about the possibility of illegal drugs in a mail box in the Morning Road area just outside of Windsor.

Bertie County Narcotics Officer Brian Edmondson and Windsor Police Sgt. Martin Phelps went to the area and spoke to the witness who indicated illegal drugs were in a mail box on the Morning Road Extension.

The two officers went to the area and waited for a car to approach the mail box. They were able to visually confirm the two people in the car had removed the drugs and approached the vehicle.

The bag, which contained marijuana, was sitting in the console between the two suspects – later identified as Williams and Gilliam.

The officers asked if there were more drugs and Gilliam said she had some in her purse. There officers located a small dime bag of marijuana. Both suspects then confessed to use of the drug.

Williams was charged with possession of a schedule six narcotic and possession with intent to sell and deliver a schedule six narcotic. He was placed in the Bertie-Martin Regional Jail under a $2,500 secured bond.

Gilliam was arrested under the same charges. Her bond was set for $1,500.

Holley said the arrests were part of a continuing effort to rid Bertie County of drug activity.

“We are just continuing our efforts to stop the sale and delivery of drugs in this county,” Holley said. “We have been and will continue to find those who are dealing in illegal drugs and put them behind bars.

“As always, we solicit and appreciate the help of the community,” he added. “We are thankful for the support of our citizens and their continued involvement in helping stop the sale of drugs.”