WINTON – A routine traffic stop has resulted in felony charges for four men and disorderly conduct charges for three others.

Four Chowan University students are facing weapons and drug charges after being searched during a police checkpoint Saturday night.

According to Hertford County Sheriff Juan Vaughan, at approximately 11 p.m. Oct. 14, several deputies were conducting a driver’s license check on River Road outside of Winton.

After smelling the aroma of illegal drugs, officers conducted a search of the vehicle and the passengers and found drugs and weapons.

The four men who were occupying the vehicle were all arrested and charged with several felonies.

Clinta T. Copeland, 23 of 114 Lance Road Murfreesboro, Debias Q. Gore, 20, of 61 Belamy Gore Ave. Whiteville, Jack Carnard Ross, 23, of 624 W. Church St. Ahoskie, and Nathan Troy Frye, 21, also of 624 W. Church St. Ahoskie, were each arrested and charged with several crimes.

Each of the men were charged with possession with the intent to sell and deliver crack cocaine, possession with the intent to sell and deliver marijuana, possession and intent to sell and deliver hashish and possession of drug paraphernalia. Additionally, Frye was charged with maintaining a vehicle for use in drug activity and illegally carrying a concealed weapon.

Copeland, Gore and Ross were each taken to the Hertford County Jail and placed on $76,500 secured bond. Frye was also taken into custody at the jail and placed under an $84,000 secured bond.

The four men made their first court appearance Tuesday Oct. 17.

Vaughan said the officers on the scene recovered 3 grams of crack cocaine, 17 grams of marijuana, 11 grams of hashish, 1 Glock 10mm handgun, 1 Interarms 9mm handgun, 1 set of metallic knuckles and confiscated the 2002 Cadillac Escalade which Frye was driving.

Vaughan said after the men were in custody, several individuals came to Winton in an attempt to bond the men out of jail and three of them ended up being arrested, charged and jailed for disorderly conduct.

Thomas Lee Garrett, 22, of 1137 Priscilla Lake, Chesapeake, VA, Daniel T. Pryor, 22, of 801 King Eider Dr., Richmond, and Zechariah Robert Cosgrove, 22, of 3 Terre Trail, Ashville, NC were each placed under a $5,000 secured bond.

The three men are scheduled to appear in court on November 7.

Vaughan wanted to acknowledge the police work of the officers involved in the arrests of all the suspects.

&uot;I’d like to thank Lt. Marty Davis, Sgt. Will Liverman, Sgt. Jessie Fennell, Deputy Alan Archer and Deputy Leon Eason for their fine police work,&uot; Vaughan said. &uot;They, like all law enforcement agents, are committed to stopping the flow of controlled substances in Hertford County.&uot;