Yancey County -- May 13, 2026: A routine traffic stop in Yancey County on April 4, 2026, escalated into a significant drug bust, leading to the arrest of two individuals on a combined 36 criminal charges, including 24 felonies. The severity of the alleged crimes is underscored by exceptionally high secured bonds totaling more than $2.6 million.
Edward Allen Byrd, 48, and Lacy Yvonne Burleson, 37, both of Bakersville, N.C., were taken into custody following the stop, which occurred on the west end of Yancey County. The Yancey County Sheriff’s Office reported seizing approximately 28 grams of methamphetamine and 158 grams of methadone during the incident.
These quantities triggered Level III trafficking charges under North Carolina law, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Both Byrd and Burleson face an extensive list of charges, including two counts of felony trafficking in methamphetamine, felony possession of methamphetamine, and two counts of felony trafficking opium or heroin. In North Carolina, methadone is categorized under the "opium or heroin" trafficking statute.
Additional felony charges include conspiring to sell and traffic methamphetamine, conspiring to sell or deliver a Schedule II controlled substance, and two counts of maintaining a vehicle/dwelling place for controlled substances. Misdemeanor charges include possession of drug paraphernalia and simple possession of Schedule II and Schedule IV controlled substances.
Byrd is being held under a $1.35 million secured bond, while Burleson’s secured bond is set at $1.3 million, bringing the combined total to $2.65 million. The Yancey County Sheriff’s Office publicly released information about the case on May 13, 2026.