Deputies: Child's Playroom Used as Cocaine Factory

A toddler and an infant lived in an Edgecombe County house that was used in one of the largest drug-trafficking operations in four counties, deputies said.

Posted 6:47 p.m. Mar 3, 2008 — Updated 3:12 a.m. Mar 4, 2008

MACCLESFIELD, N.C. — Sheriff's deputies conducting a drug bust Friday at an Edgecombe County home found two young children whose playroom had been converted into a cocaine factory.

Deputies found a 1-year-old child and a 3-month-old infant – and drugs with a street value of more than $1 million – inside the home at 1168-B Otters Creek Church Road. They arrested the children's mother, Donna Lou Carter, 29, along with four men.

Several kilograms of cocaine were hidden inside toys, "actually inside one of the stuffed animals," Sheriff James Knight said.

A cocaine press, used to make bricks of cocaine and stamp the group's mark on them, was found in the children's play area, along with other tools. Cocaine and cutting-agent residue were also detected on toys and a small bed in the room, deputies said.

A false wall in the closet of the house's master bedroom had also been used to hide several kilograms of cocaine, authorities said. Crack cocaine was found in a microwave, and deputies said they believe the appliance was used to cook crack.

Investigators seized more than 5.5 kilograms of cocaine, 3 ounces of crack cocaine and 1 ounce of crystal methamphetamine. Other items seized included an AK-47 assault rifle, a sawed-off semiautomatic shotgun, other firearms, $10,000 in cash and two vehicles.

"Especially an AK-47, that's a lot of fire power. And if people find out they got it, that kind of scares off the competition," Lt. Danny Bailey, with the Wilson Sheriff's Office, said.

The bust was part of a long-term investigation into the sale of cocaine, crack cocaine and crystal methamphetamine. Edgecombe County investigators and the State Bureau of Investigation believe the five people arrested trafficked the controlled substances throughout Edgecombe, Nash, Pitt and Wilson counties.

"We've got one of our larger drug distributors off the street," Bailey said.

"This is the biggest one (drug bust) we've had in Edgecombe County, period," Knight said.

Carter and Jaime Abazan, 27, both of 1168-B Otters Creek Church Road, each face:

four counts of trafficking in cocaine
one count of maintaining a dwelling for selling controlled substances
one count of manufacturing cocaine
one count of possession with intent to sell and deliver
one count of trafficking methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia
three counts of selling and delivering cocaine
one count of selling and delivering methamphetamine
one count of conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine

Victor Santivanez Pelayo, 23, of 36 Tuskegee St., in Wilson; Carlos Adoramo, 25, of 117 Country Estates in Battleboro; and Margarito Majia Hernandez, 34, also of 1168-B Otters Creek Church Road, were each charged with one count of trafficking in cocaine, one count of manufacturing cocaine and one count of possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine.

Authorities are investigating whether the four men are in the country legally.

The children were placed with their great-grandfather.

All five suspects were in the Edgecombe County Detention Center Monday afternoon under separate $2 million bonds.

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