RIEGELWOOD — A traffic stop on May 13 led to the arrest of SOPHIA LEANNE COWART, 35, of Riegelwood, after deputies discovered crack cocaine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia inside her vehicle, according to the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputy William D. Holden initiated the stop on Cedar Drive while serving multiple failure‑to‑appear warrants for Cowart related to driving while license revoked (DWLR) and speeding. During the search, deputies found:
- 1.5 grams of crack cocaine
- 1 gram of marijuana
- A burnt metal spoon
- A cut straw
- Plastic wraps containing narcotics residue
Cowart was charged with felony possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. She also faces two failure‑to‑appear counts from prior misdemeanor cases in Columbus and Bladen counties.
She was booked into the Columbus County Detention Center at 10:30 p.m. and released the following day on a $5,000 secured bond. Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90‑95(a)(3), possession of crack cocaine is a felony offense that can carry up to two years in prison for a first conviction.
Cowart’s case remains awaiting trial in Columbus County District Court.
All individuals listed are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Charges and case statuses may change as investigations and court proceedings continue.
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