2 charged with trafficking drugs in Cherokee County

CHEROKEE COUNTY, N.C. (WDEF) — Two Cherokee County residents are now in custody after deputies said they found trafficking amounts of drugs in their car and home.

Those two people are John Barriero and Enerjai Pendleton.

On December 4, sheriff’s deputies tried to stop Barriero’s vehicle in Murphy after learning his license had been revoked. They said Barriero fled and tossed drug and guns out of the car. Deputies finally stopped Barriero on Texana Road.

The sheriff’s office said he had 37 grams of cocaine, 340 grams of meth, 93 grams of marijuana, 21 grams of fentanyl and more than $7,000 cash on him.

Then, they issued a search warrant for his house, which he shared with Pendleton, according to deputies.

Deputies said they found 516 grams of meth, 115 grams of fentanyl, 181 grams of cocaine, more than 800 ecstasy pills, five pounds of marijuana, 15 guns and various drug paraphernalia at their house.

Authorities placed Barriero on a $2.3 million bond, and Pendleton on an $800,000 bond.

Barriero faces the following charges.

• 3 counts of trafficking meth.
• 3 counts of trafficking opium.
• 3 counts of trafficking cocaine.
• 1 count of trafficking MDM.
• 2 counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
• 2 counts of possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a schedule 2 controlled substance.
• Possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a schedule 6 controlled substance.
• Possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a schedule 2 controlled substance – MDMA.
• Felony flee/Eluding arrest with motor vehicle.
• Reckless driving.
• Driving while license revoked.
• Felony maintaining a dwelling for keeping controlled substances.

Additionally, Pendleton faces the following charges.

• Trafficking opium.
• Trafficking meth.
• Trafficking cocaine.
• Trafficking MDM.
• 2 counts of possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a schedule 2 controlled substance.
• Possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver cocaine.
• Possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver MDMA.
• Possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a schedule 6 controlled substance.
• Felony maintaining a dwelling for keeping controlled substances.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said this concludes a yearlong investigation.