Drug Dealer Convicted
Brandon Bates was convicted of drug trafficking and related charges. In September 2019 McDowell County Sheriff Deputy Robert Watson saw Bates driving a car down the road. Deputy Watson knew Bates‘s driver’s license was revoked and stopped him. When Deputy Watson searched him he discovered a large wad in Bates’s pocket, which was $5,000 in cash wrapped in distinctively colored rubber bands. Bates consented to a search of his car, and Deputy Watson found a backpack containing a small safe. Bates denied knowing anything about the backpack or safe. However, despite his denials in the backpack was a bank statement with Bates’s name on it as well as several of the colored rubber bands that the $5,000 found in Bates’s pocket was wrapped in. Additionally, a key on the car’s key ring opened the safe. Inside the safe Deputy Watson found 80 grams of methamphetamine.
Bates was convicted of trafficking methamphetamine by possession, trafficking methamphetamine by transportation, and maintaining a vehicle for keeping and/or selling controlled substances. He was sentenced to 6 to 8 years in prison. We would like to thank Deputy Robert Watson with the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office for his attentiveness and diligence which resulted in another drug dealer taken off the streets and sent to prison.