Deputies seize meth and other drugs valued at more than $12,000 on Fourth Avenue

A Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office investigation at 27th Street and Fourth Avenue has led to the seizure of 3.4 ounces of methamphetamine and other drugs totaling more than $12,000, spokesman Maj. Joe McCrea said Thursday.

Caron Tatum, 43, of Columbus was charged Wednesday with one count of trafficking in meth, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of Ecstasy with intent to distribute, possession of methadone with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and two counts of violation of probation. He is held in the Muscogee County Jail for a 9 a.m. Friday hearing in Municipal Court.

The sheriff’s office launched an investigation with its Criminal Investigations Unit after it received credible information from a confidential reliable source that an individual identified as Caron Tatum was selling illegal narcotics in the area of 27th Street and Fourth Avenue. Investigators found a suspect matching the description of a person known as “Caron.”

McCrea said the suspect first attempted to mask his identity to present himself as “Michael Foster” but later revealed his actual identity as Caron Tatum. In the area where Tatum was standing, technician Eric Stinson found a silver .32-caliber revolver loaded with rounds.

Joined by a K9 “Kratos,” Stinson conducted an open air sweep of the vacant lot and found a gold box top with a green Crown Royal bag underneath. Deputies found the bag contained 3.4 ounces of meth valued at $9,660, 26.6 grams of marijuana valued at $266, 17.7 grams of Ecstasy tablets worth $1,770 and 3 grams of crack cocaine with a street valued of $300. A methadone tablet also was found with a valued of $40.

Total value of the illegal drugs is estimated at $12,036.

This story was originally published September 6, 2018 at 12:16 PM.