ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. — Authorities in Rowan County say a man in the country illegally faces prison time after deputies offered to give him a ride and discovered drugs and a gun in the process.
According to the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, at about 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18th, deputies responded to reports of a suspicious person on the side of the road on Woodleaf Road in Woodleaf, North Carolina.
Deputies came in contact with 30-year-old Erick Gabriel Cuevas-Pastrana, who stated that he had been walking for seven hours after having an incident with his girlfriend.
Erick Gabriel Cuevas-Pastrana
Deputies offered Cuevas-Pastrana a ride, to which he agreed. When deputies told him he would have to be searched before being allowed in the patrol car, Cuevas-Pastrana questioned why the deputies needed to search him and his bag.
The responding deputies told Cuevas-Pastrana that he could continue walking if he did not want to be searched. As the deputies continued to speak with him, they discovered he had an active warrant for child support.
Cuevas-Pastrana was arrested and an incident to arrest search ensued. During the search, deputies located a loaded .9-millimeter handgun, 102 grams of methamphetamine, scales, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia in Cuevas-Pastrana’s bag, as well as a small amount of methamphetamine in his jacket.
Cuevas-Pastrana was charged with trafficking methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and carrying a concealed weapon, and his bond was set at $25,000.
The Rowan County Detention Center conducted a follow-up investigation and determined Cuevas-Pastrana was a Mexican citizen in the country illegally.
The RCDC notified the United States Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement and an immigration detainer was placed on Cuevas-Pastrana.
Investigators say Cuevas-Pastrana is not allowed to possess firearms due to his immigration status, and federal prosecution is being considered.
