Father, son arrested after 2.2 lbs. of meth found inside vehicle

Nancy McCleary, The Sanford Herald, N.C.
·2 min read

Nov. 21—A Sanford father and son were arrested early Friday after a search of their vehicle turned up enough fentanyl to kill 500,000 people, according to the Lee County Sheriff's Office.

Robert Bernard Fox Sr., 54, of the 300 block of Maple Avenue, and Robert Bernard Fox II, 23, of the 700 block of Magnolia Street, were booked into the Lee County Jail around 2:30 a.m.

The two were taken into custody when their vehicle was stopped late Thursday on Greenwood Road during an active drug investigation, a Sheriff's Office news release said.

Deputies found about 2.2 pounds in the vehicle, the release said.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Father and son were charged with one count each of trafficking opioid by transport, trafficking opium by possession, possession with intent to sell and deliver a controlled substance, maintaining a drug vehicle or dwelling and a misdemeanor charge of possessing drug paraphernalia.

As a result of the traffic stop, authorities obtained a search warrant for an apartment in the 800 block of McKenzie Park Drive, the release said.

Shondell Rasheed Bethea, 25, was found inside the residence, the release said. An order for his arrest had been issued after Bethea failed to appear in court on charges of possessing methamphetamine, larceny of a motor vehicle and two counts of breaking and entering, the release said.

Bethea was found to be in possession of two guns. One was found to have been reported to the Sanford Police Department as stolen, the release said.

Bethea was charged with two counts of possession of firearm by a felon and one each of possessing a stolen firearm.

He is being held without bail in the Lee County Jail. Bail for the Foxes was set at $250,000 apiece.

The Lee County Sheriff's Office was assisted by the Sanford Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.