AHOSKIE – Two Ahoskie teenagers face separate charges following a traffic stop made by the Ahoskie Police Department here Sunday.

Rashad Jerrod Taylor, 16, of 510 Hill Street was charged with possession with intent to maintain, sale and deliver a Schedule 2 controlled substance (crack cocaine). He was jailed under an $8,000 secured bond.

Charges were also levied against 19-year-old Brandon Deron Ward of 609 North Maple Street. He was released on a $500 unsecured bond after being charged with driving a vehicle with no operator’s license.

Both arrests stemmed from a traffic stop conducted by Ahoskie Police Sgt. B.T. Knowles and Officer E. Smith. That stop stemmed from complaints received from Hill Street citizens in regards to illegal drug activity.

&uot;Sgt. Knowles and Officer Smith were acting upon a report of a black pick-up truck driving in a reckless manner on Hill Street,&uot; said APD Chief Troy Fitzhugh. &uot;The officers checked out that report and observed a black Nissan pick-up truck. Upon running the tags on that vehicle, it became known to the officers that the tags were expired.&uot;

Stopping the vehicle between Hayes and Richard streets, Sgt. Knowles asked the driver – Ward – for his license. Fitzhugh reported that Ward informed Sgt. Knowles that he did not have a license.

Sgt. Knowles then asked for permission to search the vehicle, a request that was granted. During the search, a clear plastic sandwich bag containing smaller bags with a white, rock-like substance in each was discovered under the passenger’s seat. That led to the drug charges against Taylor.

&uot;I would like to thank the citizens for calling in these complaints,&uot; said Chief Fitzhugh. &uot;We will continue to act upon these complaints in our effort to rid Ahoskie of illegal drugs. It’s our goal to clean up our streets of those who choose to sell illegal drugs. We are doing this to make our streets safe for our citizens.&uot;