A late-night traffic stop in Taylorsville has led to a long list of drug charges for a Catawba County woman. Authorities say 41-year-old Natasha Noel Robinette of Conover was taken into custody after police found methamphetamine, Xanax, marijuana, and assorted drug paraphernalia during a roadside investigation and subsequent booking process.
According to the Taylorsville Police Department, the incident occurred shortly after midnight on Sunday, August 10, when an officer pulled over a vehicle on Highway 16 South. The stop was initiated because the driver was operating with a suspended license. Upon identifying Robinette as a passenger, officers learned she had an active criminal summons.
When asked to exit the vehicle, police observed a bag of methamphetamine on the passenger-side floorboard. A search of the vehicle followed, uncovering additional methamphetamine, numerous Xanax pills, marijuana, and various items of drug paraphernalia. Robinette was immediately taken into custody and transported to the Alexander County Detention Center.
At the detention center, she was officially charged with multiple offenses. The drug charges include felony possession of methamphetamine and felony possession of a controlled substance on jail premises, along with misdemeanor charges of simple possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana paraphernalia.
Police say that after Robinette was processed for the initial drug charges, detention officers found more methamphetamine and paraphernalia in her possession.
In addition to the Taylorsville offenses, Robinette was served with a criminal summons for a prior larceny case out of Catawba County. Given that she was already out on previous release orders, she is now being held without bond at the Alexander County Detention Center.
Robinette’s case underscores how a routine traffic stop can quickly escalate into serious legal trouble. The combination of multiple drug charges, prior criminal matters, and the allegation of introducing drugs into a detention facility has placed her in an especially difficult legal position.
Authorities have emphasized that introducing contraband into a detention center is considered a severe offense under North Carolina law, often resulting in harsher penalties than the original drug charges that led to the arrest.
Robinette had a District Court appearance scheduled for Monday, August 11, where prosecutors were expected to address both the recent Taylorsville drug charges and the outstanding larceny matter.