Two Face Drug Trafficking Charges in Rutherford County

Rutherford County --  Rutherford County Sheriff's Office reported the following on February 26, 2025: While on routine patrol in the Golden

Valley community, road patrol deputy conducted a 

traffic stop for a registration violation, During the stop a Sheriff’s K-9 was used to conduct a free air sniff of the vehicle which gave probable cause to search the vehicle.

Search of the vehicle: 18 grams of fentanyl and 28 grams of marijuana were located, as well as various items of drug paraphernalia.
The occupants of the vehicle, James Mitchell Dickinson of McDowell County and Amber Marie Carswell of Burke County were arrested for the possession of the narcotics and drug paraphernalia.

Once at the Rutherford County Detention Center, both arrestees had to go through the body scanner. Suspected contraband was seen on the scanner and led to a further search of Carswell which revealed 18 amphetamine pills, 5 clonazepam pills, ½ a unit of alprazolam, 9.6 grams of cocaine, and 1.7 grams of methamphetamine.

Amber Marie Carswell was charged with:

Trafficking Opium/Heroin
Possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver (PWIMSD) Cocaine
PWIMSD Schedule 2 Control Substance
Possession Methamphetamine
Possession of Control Substance in Jail
Possession of Marijuana up to ½ ounce
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

James Mitchell Dickinson was charged with:

Trafficking Opium/Heroin
Possession of Marijuana up to ½ ounce
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Maintain a Vehicle for Use in Transporting Control Substance
As well as various traffic violations.
Both arrestees are out on pretrial release for other charges so no bond was set and must be set by a judge later today.

Amber Marie Carswell

James Mitchell Dickinson

Editor's Note: A  criminal charge is an accusation, by law, a person accused of a crime is innocent until proven in a court of law.