65 pounds of pot and a stolen gun were found at Hickory police dispatcher's home

Sixty-five pounds of marijuana and a stolen handgun were found at a Hickory police dispatcher’s home in Catawba County, officials said Tuesday.

The police dispatcher’s husband, Blong Ly Vang, has been arrested.

Investigators said they went to a home in the 4600 block of Belvedere Drive in Claremont while investigating heavy drug traffic in the area. They were initially given permission to search the home, but the homeowners revoked their search consent after investigators found three pounds of marijuana, police said.

After a search warrant was obtained, investigators found two large plastic storage containers in the bedroom that “held numerous bundles of high grade marijuana,” according to police. Investigators also reported finding a handgun that was reported stolen from Georgia.

Digital scales, a vacuum sealer and another weapon were also found during the search, deputies said.

The marijuana weighted approximately 65 pounds and has a street value of about $130,000, deputies said.

Vang was charged with felony trafficking marijuana by possession, felony possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, felony maintaining a dwelling for controlled substances, felony possession of a weapon by convicted felon, and felony possession of a stolen firearm.

Vang was placed in the Catawba County Detention Facility under a $250,000 bond.

According to Hickory police, the dispatcher is no longer employed with the department. Police said an internal investigation will be performed.

This story was originally published January 30, 2018 at 12:43 PM with the headline "65 pounds of pot and a stolen gun were found at Hickory police dispatcher's home."