ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Asheville Police Department officers arrested two individuals over the weekend while conducting crime prevention measures in a West Asheville neighborhood.

The first arrest occurred just after midnight Saturday, May 17. Officers were responding to an unrelated call for service on Cordova Street when they saw a man discard a plastic baggie upon noticing police.

Officers approached the man, identified as Terrance Antonio Lucas, 35, and found him in possession of a bag containing white powder, marijuana and a large amount of cash. The discarded baggie was recovered and found to contain narcotics. Lucas was taken into custody without incident.

In a separate incident, officers observed a vehicle fail to stop at a stop sign on Hanover Street around 7:44 p.m. Sunday, May 18. During the traffic stop, the passenger, Melissa Jean Thompson, 45, was found to be in possession of a trafficking amount of methamphetamine. She was also taken into custody without incident.

Terrance Antonio Lucas
Terrance Antonio Lucas (Photo credit: Buncombe County Detention Facility)

Lucas was charged with the following:

  • (F) Trafficking Opium Level III
  • (F) Possession With Intent to Manufacture, Sell, Deliver Schedule II
  • (F) Possession of Schedule II
  • (F) Possession With Intent to Manufacture, Sell, Deliver Schedule VI
  • (F) Possession With Intent to Manufacture, Sell, Deliver Counterfeit Controlled Substance
  • (F) Possession With Intent to Manufacture, Sell, Deliver Within 1000ft of School

Police seized:

  • Fentanyl (113.43 grams)
  • Marijuana (18.89 grams)
  • White Powder (224.54 grams)
  • $3,780 in U.S. currency

Lucas was booked into the Buncombe County Detention Facility under a $200,000 secured bond.

Melissa Jean Thompson
Melissa Jean Thompson (Photo credit: Buncombe County Detention Facility)

Thompson was charged with the following:

  • (F) Trafficking Methamphetamine Level I
  • (F) Possession With Intent to Manufacture, Sell, Deliver Schedule II
  • (F) Possession of Schedule II x 2

Police seized:

  • Methamphetamine (28 grams)
  • Crack-Cocaine (5 grams)

Thompson was booked into the Buncombe County Detention under a $200,000 secured bond.

William Michael Dyer, 45, was cited for driving while license revoked and failure to stop at a stop sign

Anyone with information about illegal drug activity is encouraged to contact the Asheville police at 828-252-1110. You can also send an anonymous tip using the TIP2APD smartphone application (search “Asheville Police” in your app store) or by texting TIP2APD to 847411.