AHOSKIE – Possession of a prescription drug that was not in its proper container landed an Ahoskie man in jail under a half-million dollar bond.

Stephen Eric Parker, 27, of 147 Early Station Road, Ahoskie, was arrested July 29 on the charges of trafficking methadone and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was placed in the Hertford County Jail under a $500,000 secured bond.

According to Ahoskie Police Chief Troy Fitzhugh, the arrest came after APD Officer Michael Fedock was observing an area of town due to an ongoing investigation.

“Officer Fedock observed an individual pull into a Main Street convenience store, park and walk to a nearby residence,” Fitzhugh said. “After exiting the residence, Officer Fedock and Officer Tyrone Ruffin approached the individual.”

Chief Fitzhugh said the person of interest initially refused to be searched, but then leaned into his vehicle in an alleged attempt to push something between the seats.

“Upon the officers viewing this action, they detained the person and discovered a clear bag of pills near the area where the person had placed his hand,” Fitzhugh said.

Those pills, 20 in number, were determined to be methadone, a narcotic pain reliever, similar to morphine.

Parker was placed under arrest and his vehicle was seized by the Ahoskie Police.

Even though the pills are legal, it’s illegal to possess them without a valid prescription, which Fitzhugh said Parker did not have, or have the drug stored in an alternative way outside a prescription container.