Rutherford County -- January 15, 2026: A routine traffic stop on Wednesday night, January 14, 2026, resulted in the seizure of fentanyl and the arrest of two local residents.
According to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, the incident unfolded as follows:
The Stop: Deputies with the Road Patrol unit were patrolling College Avenue in Forest City when they stopped a vehicle for a traffic infraction.
The Search: During the encounter, deputies received consent to search the vehicle.
The Discovery: The search yielded approximately 14 grams of fentanyl and various pieces of drug paraphernalia.
The Arrests: Two individuals from Forest City were taken into custody:
Jennifer Nicole Alley (32): Charged with Trafficking in Fentanyl and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Desmond Hykeem Jefferson (33): Charged with Trafficking in Fentanyl and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Bond Status: Both subjects were denied bond and are held pending an appearance before a District Court Judge.
*Suspect is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
WNCTimes