Rockdale Citizen

CONYERS -- A wanted man's urge to smoke a cigarette led to several drug arrests by the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office Narcotics and Vice Unit.

Investigators with the unit accompanied officers from the Spalding County Sheriff's Office to an address on Ga. Highway 20 S. on Feb. 26 to apprehend a suspect wanted on a warrant for trafficking in methamphetamine in that county. RCSO Investigator Michael Camp said when officers arrived they found the wanted man, Anthony James Matthews, 43, of 615 Cheatem Road, Griffin, working on a car in the driveway.

Matthews was taken into custody without incident, according to Camp, and during questioning by officers he asked if he could smoke a cigarette. None of the officers had cigarettes, and Matthews reportedly asked if he could go inside the house to get his cigarettes.

Officers accompanied the suspect inside, Camp said, where they saw marijuana on a table. Officers then obtained a search warrant for the residence.

During the search officers found a black zipped bag containing two small plastic bags of methamphetamine, two black digital scales and a plastic bag of marijuana. A pill bottle containing methamphetamine and a dietary supplement commonly used to cut methamphetamine were found in a nightstand.

In addition to Matthews, the Narcotics and Vice Unit arrested the following:

-- Michael Anthony Moss, 52, of 2599 Salem Church Road, Conyers, charged with possession of marijuana less than 1 ounce;

-- Kimberlee Ann Hoffman, 31, of 1385 Old McDonough Highway SE, Room 226, Conyers, charged with unlawful purchase, possession or control of a controlled substance in connection with the pill bottle, which reportedly had her name on the label;

-- Laura Mae Dodson, 34, of 134 Covington Road, Griffin, charged with unlawful purchase, possession or control of a controlled substance in connection with the methamphetamine, which was reportedly in her purse.

Matthews was charged with unlawful purchase, possession or control of a controlled substance. In addition to the Rockdale charge, he was wanted in Spalding County on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, trafficking in methamphetamine, felony violation of probation and obstruction.

According to Camp, Dodson, Moss and Hoffman have been released from jail on bond; no bond has been set for Matthews.