Caldwell County officers assisted by federal authorities have apprehended a Hudson man for the alleged distribution of a controlled substance.

30-year-old James Douglas Chester was discovered with a package containing approximately 7 pounds of high grade marijuana.

Narcotic agents with Lenoir Police, Caldwell Sheriff’s ICE Unit, and the US postal inspector service were investigating Chester as they learned he had been directing marijuana packages mailed to another address from California.

Agents found the drugs whenever they managed to intercept Chester’s last package and obtained a search warrant to inspect it.

During a controlled delivery and his arrival to pickup his package, Chester was taken into custody.

Armed with a second search warrant, officers also discovered drug paraphernalia at his home.

Chester was charged with felony possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana and felony conspiracy to deliver marijuana.

He was jailed under a 150-thousand-dollar secured bond.

Two others have been identified as suspects in the case with charges likely.

The state’s drug guidelines show the seized marijuana has a street value of nearly 80-thousand-dollars.

An Alexander County prison was reportedly on lockdown Monday afternoon after a fight broke out among inmates.

The NC Department of Public Safety reports several inmates at Alexander Correctional Institution were involved in the argument using homemade weapons and crutches.

The fight took place in the prison’s recreation area around 2 o’clock and was broken up by correctional officers.

A section of the facility was placed on lockdown because of the incident.

Two inmates were transported to medical facilities with minor injuries.

No officers were hurt.

A bust at a Hickory hotel nets drugs, guns, and cash.

37-year-old Heath Blake Winkler of Hickory was charged with trafficking after hotel staff found more than 3 pounds of methamphetamine, over half a pound of marijuana, a firearm, and 14-hundred-dollars cash in his room according to Hickory Police.

After being taken into custody at the Quality Suites on 13^th Avenue Drive Southeast last Friday, Winkler was charged with felony trafficking meth, possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a schedule-6 controlled substance.

Winkler was issued a 150-thousand-dollar secured bond.