BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
WARFIELD — A Martin County man was arrested Tuesday after deputies raided two properties and uncovered more than 12 ounces of marijuana, an arsenal of firearms and more than $13,000 in cash following a monthslong investigation, according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
Tyler Harrison Harless, 28, of Tomahawk, was arrested May 12 at Dempsey Housing in Warfield on charges of trafficking in marijuana involving 8 ounces to 5 pounds, first offense, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Investigators say the case developed over several months as deputies received repeated tips about suspected drug activity involving Harless.
Sheriff John Kirk said deputies had been surveilling Harless before acting on new information received Monday.
“We got a tip yesterday,” Sheriff Kirk said Tuesday. “And Deputy J.C. Kirk, my son, wanted to get a search warrant to see if something was going on there.”
Deputy J.C. Kirk first obtained a search warrant for a residence on Gayle Carter Road in Tomahawk, where investigators believed suspicious activity had been occurring.
Deputies arrived at the property Tuesday and found the door unlatched, according to the sheriff.
“We got the search warrant and went to the residence where, we had been told, people were coming and going,” Sheriff Kirk stated. “The door was actually not latched. We made entry and there was no one there.”
During the search, deputies discovered marijuana, digital scales, multiple rifles — including AR-15-style platforms — a shotgun, multiple pistols, magazines and $13,153 in cash.
“We located several guns and several thousand dollars in cash,” Kirk said. “There were small amounts of marijuana there, and baggies commonly used in the trafficking of marijuana.”
After the initial search, investigators obtained a second search warrant for a residence at Dempsey Housing in Warfield, where Harless had reportedly been staying.
At the Warfield residence, deputies allegedly discovered additional marijuana, cash, scales and packaged marijuana products before taking Harless into custody.
According to the police report, the total amount of marijuana seized during the investigation weighed 12.628 ounces.
Sheriff Kirk said the investigation remains ongoing.
Sheriff Kirk and Deputies J.C. Kirk, David Adams and Zach Waller executed the search warrants.
All individuals are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.