Gastonia County Police arrested a 72-year-old man for selling undercover cops cocaine and running a drug ring from his home.
Otis Crawford Thompson, of 505 N. Morris St. in Gastonia, manufacture, packaged, and sold the cocaine from his home he’s owned since 1998. Thompson sold drugs to undercover agents with Gaston County Police from the 828-square-foot house on three separate occasions. During the last transaction, the officer bought between 4 and 14 grams of opiates, warrants show.
Thompson is facing 21 felony drug charges plus four other charges for possessing four different guns, including two shotguns, a rifle, and a handgun, as a felon. In 2010, he pleaded guilty to cocaine possession, which made him a felon not allowed to own guns.
Arrest warrants show Thompson also possessed pill bottles and a pipe.
He is facing several felony counts each of delivering cocaine, selling cocaine, possession with the intent to sell, manufacturing the drug, heroin trafficking, maintaining a dwelling for the sale of a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Thompson couldn’t be taken to jail immediately after his arrest due to high blood pressure. Thompson’s attorney requested he have a $12,000 bond and an assistant district attorney consented. He posted the bond soon after he was booked.
