RICHMOND COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A man has been arrested for drug possession after being on federal probation, according to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Department.

On Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, investigators used a search warrant at a residence on Ellen Road in Rockingham.

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The suspect who was being sought, 50-year-old William Erston McArthur, was entered as a fugitive by the U.S. Marshal Service for a federal probation violation from New Jersey, officials said.

Deputies tried to call McArthur to come out of the house but he refused. After nearly two hours, officials put CS gas inside and McArthur still refused to come out.

The Sheriff’s Office says after a short time, the response team went into the residence and eventually found McArthur hiding in a crawl space. He was then taken into custody.

While inside, investigators found 300 grams of fentanyl, 93.2 grams of crack cocaine, two dosage units of primlev, 3.7 grams of methamphetamine and six grams of marijuana.

McArthur was arrested and charged with:

  • Trafficking opium or heroin
  • Trafficking cocaine
  • Felony possession of methamphetamine
  • Felony possession of cocaine
  • Maintain a dwelling for controlled substance
  • Possession with intent to sell or distribute marijuana
  • Simple possession of Schedule II controlled substance
  • Simple possession of Schedule VI controlled substance
  • Possession of marijuana paraphernalia
  • Possession of drug paraphernalia
  • 2 counts of possession with intent to sell or distribute Schedule II controlled substance
  • Possession with intent to sell or distribute cocaine

He was booked into the Richmond County Jail under a $500,000 secure bond on local charges and no bond on the federal probation charges.