Man With Ankle Monitor Arrested After Drug Bust in Lee County

SANFORD, NC — A man who was already under legal scrutiny for drug trafficking in Wake County is now facing additional charges after Lee County deputies discovered a range of narcotics in his vehicle during a recent traffic stop.

On Wednesday, deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a routine traffic stop on Colon Road near U.S. Highway 1. During the stop, a K-9 unit alerted deputies to the presence of narcotics, leading them to search the vehicle. Authorities reported that they found a variety of drugs, including fentanyl, oxycodone, marijuana, and methamphetamine paraphernalia, all hidden inside a box on the exterior of the car.

The driver, identified as 37-year-old Phillip Stanley Thomas, was found to be wearing an ankle monitor at the time of his arrest. The device was part of the conditions set for his pretrial release on a separate charge of trafficking methamphetamine in Wake County. Despite already facing serious drug charges, Thomas was apprehended again on multiple counts in Lee County.

According to the sheriff’s office, Thomas is now charged with several offenses, including trafficking opioids (specifically oxycodone) by transport and possession, possession with intent to sell and deliver fentanyl, maintaining a vehicle for the sale of controlled substances, possession of marijuana up to half an ounce, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Following his arrest, Thomas was placed in the Lee County Jail and is being held without bond. Authorities have not disclosed whether further investigations are underway, but the incident highlights ongoing efforts by local law enforcement to crack down on drug trafficking in the region.

Feature photo image: Lee County Sheriff’s Office