ST. PAULS — A 29-year-old Lumber Bridge man already charged with murder was among four people arrested Wednesday and charged with numerous drug crimes, according to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office.

Michael Blackwell, who was out on bond on charges of first-degree murder and discharging a weapon into an occupied property, was returned to the county jail under a $1.85 million secured bond. Blackwell is also on probation for trafficking cocaine.

He was arrested on Wednesday after Drug Enforcement Division investigators, deputies with the Community Impact Team and SWAT operators with the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office searched 390 Millionaire Road in St. Pauls and seized quantities of heroin, cocaine, Oxycodone pills, Suboxone strips, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Five firearms and $1,277 in cash also were seized.

Blackwell, Mickey Jeffries, 26, of St Pauls; Zebian Bullard, 23, of St Pauls; and Michael Blanks, 65, of Lumberton, are each charged with trafficking opium or heroin, possession with intent to sell or deliver heroin, conspiring to sell or deliver heroin, trafficking cocaine, possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine, conspiring to sell or deliver cocaine, trafficking opioids, possession with intent to sell or deliver a Schedule II- and III-controlled substance, possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana, maintaining a drug dwelling, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Blackwell also was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.

Jeffries and Bullard each received a $1 million secured bond, and Blanks a $100,000 secured bond.

Blackwell is one of four people charged in the Nov. 19, 2014, shooting death of Corey Bratcher, who was a senior at St. Pauls High School at the time of his death. Bratcher, 18, died after shots were fired into his Gina Boulevard home.

Blackwell was out after making a bond of $275,000. Three other men are out on bond in Bratcher’s murder. They are Angelo Burns of Shannon, $425,000 bond; Willie Fields of Lumber Bridge, $35,000 bond; and David Javon Morgan of Lumber Bridge, $55,000 bond.

Anyone with additional information or any information regarding drug activity in Robeson County is asked to call the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Division at 910-671-3191.

Blackwell
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/web1_thumbnail_Blackwell.jpgBlackwell

Blanks
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/web1_thumbnail_Blanks.jpgBlanks

Bullard
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/web1_thumbnail_Bullard.jpgBullard

Jeffries
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/web1_thumbnail_Jeffries.jpgJeffries

Donnie Douglas

Editor

Reach Donnie Douglas at 910-416-5649 or [email protected].