Traffic stop leads to drug bust and multiple arrests, police say

GILMER COUNTY, Ga. - Officials say a traffic stop earlier this month led to the arrest of three people in two metro Atlanta counties.

Authorities say one of the people arrested is accused of trafficking drugs from Georgia to North Carolina.

What we know:

Officials in Gilmer County say deputies stopped a gray Chevrolet Colorado on Highway 515 on Aug. 17 after noticing a traffic violation.

When they pulled the vehicle over, officials say they learned the driver, Robert Gerald Stiles, had active warrants out in DeKalb County and Monroe County and was driving on a suspended license.

A K-9 unit led deputies to reportedly find 9 ounces of methamphetamine and 12 ounces of gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), commonly referred to as the "date rape" drug. Styles and the passenger, Shandar Kauffman, were arrested and charged with multiple drug offenses, including possession of Schedule I drugs.

While investigating, deputies say they learned from law enforcement in Cherokee County, North Carolina, that Stiles had "frequently traveled to Atlanta to pick up illegal narcotics and transport them back to North Carolina."

Dig deeper:

Officials say the investigation eventually led them to search a home in Cherokee County on Aug. 19.

During the search, officials say they found methamphetamine and fentanyl. The homeowner, identified as Brianna Renee Sherman, was arrested and charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine.

What they're saying:

"I want to thank our local and regional partners for their continued cooperation and commitment to combating the flow of illegal drugs into our communities. These arrests demonstrate what can be accomplished when agencies work together with a shared mission of protecting our citizens," Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith said.