On November 7th, 2023, the Henderson County Drug Task Force with assistance from the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, the Asheville Police Department, the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office, the Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives executed multiple search warrants in Henderson and Buncombe county. Executed search warrants were related to Operation Drip Pressure, a ten (10) month investigation by Detectives into the sell and delivery of illegal controlled substances by Zachery Micah RICE.
On November 7th, 2023 at approximately 8:30pm, Detectives with the Henderson County Drug Task Force, and members of the Henderson County Special Weapons and Tactics Team initiated a vehicle stop on a vehicle being operated by RICE. A short pursuit ensued around the area of Bob’s Creek Rd and US Highway 25S. Following the conclusion of the pursuit, RICE and two (2) other occupants of the vehicle were taken into custody; Darion Laquinton DAVIS, age 28 of Asheville, NC and Mahogany Shanice ALTMAN, age 23 of Atlanta, GA were taken into custody with RICE.
Following the vehicle stop of RICE, Detectives with the Asheville Police Department and Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office executed three (3) separate search warrants at homes in Buncombe County. Search warrants were executed at the following locations:
275 Deaverview Rd Apt 18, Asheville, NC
88 Sky Exchange Dr Unit 202, Asheville, NC
128 Briar Glenn Dr Apt 303, Arden, NC
As a result of these search warrants and the vehicle stop on RICE, Detectives located and seized the following items:
Approximately 28 pounds of Methamphetamine
Approximately 4 pounds of Fentanyl
Approximately 4 pounds of Marijuana
Approximately 11.0 grams of Crack Cocaine
24 dosage units of Ecstasy
72 dosage units of Oxycodone
1 dosage unit of Xanax
$62,977.00 of United State currency
6 firearms (1 fully automatic Glock pistol)
1 bulletproof vest
Zachery RICE, Darion DAVIS, and Mahogany ALTMAN were all taken into custody in Henderson County. They were all three (3) charged with the following:
Trafficking in Methamphetamine by Possession lvl 3
Trafficking in Methamphetamine by Transport lvl 3
Maintaining a Vehicle for the purpose of sell/deliver a controlled substance
Possession of weapon of mass destruction
RICE and DAVIS are currently being held at the Henderson County Detention Center under a $2,500,000.00 secured bond. ALTMAN is currently being held at the Henderson County Detention Center under a $2,030,000.00 secured bond.
The following individuals were also taken into custody as a result of the executed search warrants:
Charmaine Vapreece FAIR:
Trafficking in Opium/Heroin by Possession lvl 3
Currently held at the Buncombe County Detention Center under a $100,000.00 secured bond
Gerome PARHAM:
Trafficking in Opium/Heroin by Possession lvl 3
PWISD Schedule II Controlled Substance x3
PWISD Schedule I Controlled Substance
PWISD Methamphetamine
Currently held at the Buncombe County Detention Center under a $200,000.00
Additional search and arrest warrants may be forthcoming as Detectives continue their investigation. The estimated street value of the illegal controlled substances seized as a result of this operation is approximately $1,634,100.00.
