Tips lead to Lincoln County crack cocaine arrest

Tips to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office led to the seizure of crack cocaine from a home in Vale and the arrest of a 60-year-old woman on drug charges.

Patricia Ann Banks, 60, was charged with possession with the intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine, maintaining a vehicle/dwelling for a controlled substance, simple possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Banks was jailed on $17,500 bail.

The tips led investigators to get a warrant to search Banks’ home Wednesday night in the 7400 block of Palm Tree Drive in the Palm Tree Heights development. Investigators said they found crack cocaine and Roxicodone pain pills.

“We received multiple tips from the community concerning this residence and (an) individual selling pills and crack cocaine,” sheriff’s narcotics Lt. Jon Propst said. After an investigation, Propst said, authorities were able to obtain a search warrant for the residence and make an arrest.

“This particular community has seen its share of drug activity, and we are working very hard to clean it up,” Propst said. “We cannot take for granted a person’s age, in this case 60 years old, when it comes to who may be selling drugs.”

Citizen tips remain a key source of information for narcotics investigators, Propst said. The Sheriff’s Office urges people to call in tips on the office’s narcotics tip line, 704-736-8422, or Crime Stoppers at 704-736-8909.

This story was originally published August 27, 2015 at 11:46 AM with the headline "Tips lead to Lincoln County crack cocaine arrest."