IREDELL COUNTY, NC --  After conducting a two month long investigation into the distribution and use of hallucinogenic drugs within the Lake Norman community, detectives from the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division say they have arrested and charged five people.

    The investigation began after two Iredell County deputies were injured while responding to a call where a student from Lake Norman High School had ingested LSD, commonly known as “acid” and became combative.  Detectives began an investigation to find the source of the LSD and sent undercover officers into the Lake Norman community and were able to identify several subjects who were key distributors of illegal narcotics to numerous high school students.

Elliott James Ziegler, 24, of 125 Forest Ridge Road, Daniel Gilbert Brown, 19, of 1500 Shearers Road, Thomas Jordan Wykoff, 19, of 293 Montibello Drive, and Denise Lynn Mingle, 48, of 125 Forest Ridge Road.  An identified juvenile suspect is also being sought at this time. 

During the course of the investigation, the undercover officers were able to purchase quantities of LSD, heroin, marijuana, and a Schedule I bath salt being sold as “Molly” from these subjects.  The bath salt contained the chemical methylone, which can cause powerful hallucinations. 

Schedule I is the highest level of North Carolina’s narcotics classification; Schedule I controlled substances have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. 

Elliott James Ziegler was arrested and charged with two counts of Sell/Deliver Schedule I Controlled Substance, two counts of Possession with Intent to Sell/Deliver Schedule I Controlled Substance, Sell/Deliver Counterfeit Controlled Substance, Possession with Intent to Sell/Deliver Counterfeit Controlled Substance, and three counts of Trafficking Opium or Heroin.  Ziegler is being held at the Iredell County Detention Center under a $75,000.00 secured bond.

Denise Lynne Mingle, the mother of Elliott Ziegler, was arrested for Maintaining a Dwelling for Controlled Substance and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor and is being held at the Iredell County Detention Center under a $15,000.00 secured bond.

Daniel Gilbert Brown was arrested and charged with Sell/Deliver Schedule I Controlled Substance and Possession with Intent to Sell/Deliver Schedule I Controlled Substance.  Brown is being held at the Iredell County Detention Center under a $25,000.00 secured bond.

Thomas Jordan Wykoff was arrested and charged with Sell/Deliver Marijuana and Possession with Intent to Sell/Deliver Marijuana and is being held at the Iredell County Detention Center under a $5,000.00 secured bond.

An identified juvenile is also being sought for selling LSD to an undercover officer; this juvenile is believed to be the main source of LSD and “Molly” for students at Lake Norman High School.